THE EFFECTS OF IRISIN AND LEPTIN ON STEROIDOGENIC ENZYME GENE EXPRESSION IN HUMAN GRANULOSA CELLS: IN VITRO STUDIES
Irisin and leptin are hormones that dually influence metabolism and the reproductive system. This study was conducted to investigate the in vitro effects of irisin and leptin on the gene expression of steroidogenic enzymes in primary cultures of human granulosa cells. Study subjects were women aged 21-43 years old, were undergoing IVF, and had more than three oocytes retrieved during their IVF procedure. Granulosa cells were purified from leftover follicular fluid at oocyte retrieval, cultured, were supplemented with leptin and irisin, and RNA was extracted. Both leptin and irisin upregulated CYP11A1 mRNA levels and leptin upregulated HSD3B1 mRNA levels, suggesting that these hormones may directly affect steroid hormone production in the ovary at the level of gene expression.