HİPOTRİOİD SIÇANLARIN YUMURTALIK FOLLİKÜLLERİNDE EGFR EKSPRESYONU

Abstract

Hipotiroidizm, tiroid hormonlarının (T4 ve T3) yetersiz üretimi sonucu vücut fonksiyonlarının yavaşlamasına neden olur. Aynı zamanda üreme sağlığını da olumsuz etkiler. Nitekim hayvan çalışmaları hipotiroidizmin foliküler olgunlaşmayı engellediğini ve over fonksiyonlarını bozduğunu göstermiştir. Epidermal büyüme faktörü (EGF), hücre büyümesi ve farklılaşmasında hayati rol oynayan bir polipeptittir. Bu çalışmada yetişkin sıçanlarda oluşturulan hipotiroidizmin over folikülleri ve EGFR ekspresyonundaki değişiklikler üzerine etkilerinin araştırılması amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmamızda 18 dişi Wistar sıçanı kullanılmıştır. Rastgele seçilen 10 sıçanın içme suyuna 30 gün boyunca 10 mg/kg metimazol katılarak hipotiroidi grubu oluşturulmuştur. Herhangi bir tedavi uygulanmayan kalan 8 sıçan kontrol grubunu oluşturmuştur. Metimazol ile oluşturulan deneysel hipotiroidizmin over üzerine etkileri biyokimyasal, histopatolojik ve mRNA ekspresyonu değişiklikleri açısından araştırılmıştır. Metimazol verilen sıçanlarda serum T3 düzeylerinde anlamlı düşüş gözlenmiştir. Hipotiroidizm grubundaki sıçanların ortalama vücut ve yumurtalık ağırlıklarının yanı sıra birincil, ikincil ve üçüncül folikül sayılarının da anlamlı derecede azaldığı bulundu. İmmünohistokimyasal olarak, hipotiroidizm grubundaki sıçanlarda EGFR ekspresyonunun da azaldığı bulundu. RT-PCR analizi, kontrol grubuyla karşılaştırıldığında, metimazol grubu sıçanlarda HB-EGF, EGFR, GPER1 ve ESR1 gen ekspresyonunun arttığını, RAF1 ekspresyonunun ise azaldığını ortaya koydu. Metimazol, sıçan yumurtalık foliküler gelişiminde ve oosit kalitesinde ciddi bozulmalara neden olur.

Keywords

• hipotiroidi
• sıçan
• ovaryum
• EGFR
• GPER
• Raf1

EGFR expression in ovarian follicles of hypothyroid rats

Abstract

Hypothyroidism causes a slowing of bodily functions as a result of insufficient production of thyroid hormones (T4 and T3). It also negatively affects reproductive health. Indeed, animal studies have shown that hypothyroidism inhibits follicular maturation and disrupts ovarian function. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a polypeptide that plays a vital role in cell growth and differentiation. This study aimed to investigate the effects of induced hypothyroidism in adult rats on ovarian follicles and changes in EGFR expression. Eighteen female Wistar rats were used in our study. Ten rats were randomly selected and given 10 mg/kg methimazole in their drinking water for 30 days, forming the hypothyroidism group. The remaining eight rats, which underwent no treatment, formed the control group. The effects of methimazole-induced experimental hypothyroidism on the ovary were investigated in terms of biochemical, histopathological, and mRNA expression changes. A significant decrease in serum T3 levels was observed in rats given methimazole. The mean body and ovary weights of rats in the hypothyroidism group, as well as the number of primary, secondary, and tertiary follicles, were found to be significantly reduced. Immunohistochemically, EGFR expression was also found to be reduced in rats in the hypothyroidism group. RT-PCR analysis revealed that, compared to the control group, the methimazole group rats had increased HB-EGF, EGFR, GPER1, and ESR1 gene expression, while RAF1 expression decreased. Methimazole causes severe impairments in rat ovarian follicular development and oocyte quality.

Keywords

• Hypothyroidism
• EGFR
• ovary
• GPER
• Raf1

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