The effects of omentin on estradiol and progesterone release in human granulosa cell culture

Abstract

Adipokines serve as a link between energy metabolism and reproduction, helping to explain infertility related to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Granulosa cells are known to produce adipokines such as omentin; however, research on the potential effects of omentin on hormone levels in PCOS patients is lacking. Thus, the aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of omentin, FSH, and FSH + omentin on estradiol and progesterone secretion from human granulosa cells of PCOS patients. Granulosa cells were obtained from follicular fluid of 12 women undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment. Then they were treated with different doses of omentin (1 and 10 ng/ml), FSH (10 and 100 ng/ml), and with combinations of omentin and FSH for 48 h. The levels of estradiol and progesterone secreted by granulosa cells into the culture supernatants were measured by ELISA. Progesterone levels were increased when 10 ng/ml omentin was administered together with high-dose FSH (100 ng/ml), and were also increased at 1 and 10 ng/ml omentin doses compared to the control. Estradiol levels increased with 1 and 10 ng/ml omentin, and this effect was enhanced when combined with high-dose FSH; however, the combination of 1 ng/ml omentin with high-dose FSH resulted in reduced estradiol secretion. These findings demonstrated that omentin treated with different doses changed the secretion of estradiol and progesterone in granulosa cells in a dose-dependent manner.