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Drug Res (Stuttg) 2015; 65(05): 252-258
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1376975
Original Article
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Altered Stem Cell Receptor Activity in the Ovarian Surface Epithelium by Exogenous Zinc and/or Progesterone

G. Oktem
1   Department of Histology and Embryology, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey
2   Department of Stem Cell, Institute of Health Science, Izmir, Turkey
5   These authors contributed equally to this work
,
C. Sahin
3   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey
5   These authors contributed equally to this work
,
O. Y. Dilsiz
1   Department of Histology and Embryology, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey
,
S. B. Demiray
1   Department of Histology and Embryology, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey
,
E. N. T. Goker
4   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey
,
E. Tavmergen
4   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 09 October 2013

accepted 05 May 2014

Publication Date:
03 July 2014 (online)

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Abstract

Background: Ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) has the characteristics of a stem cell and the potential for differentiation. Previous studies on this subject have succeeded in deriving oocytes from OSE stem cells, leading to the belief that OSE could be used for infertility treatment.

Methods: Each rat (n=10) was subjected to zinc and/or progesterone injection for 5 days after conception. After a 6-day implantation period, ovarian tissues were removed and comprehensive immunohistochemical analysis of stem cell markers was conducted: Sox2, Klf4, Oct3/4, c-Myc, CD117, CD90, SSEA-1 and Notch pathway analysis; Notch1, Jagged1, and Delta1 in the OSE and ovarian stromal cells were evaluated after treatment with zinc, progesterone, or both.

Results: Progesterone moderately affected Sox2 expression (p<0.001), while zinc application strongly affected Klf4 and Oct3/4 and immunoreactivity (p<0.001). CD90 immunoreactivity was decreased in the OSE and stroma of the progesterone group (p=0.006) compared with the zinc (p = 0.244) and zinc/progesterone groups (p=0.910). On the other hand, SSEA-1 showed moderate staining in the OSE and weak staining in stromal cells in animals treated with zinc (p=0.727), progesterone (p=0.626), and zinc/progesterone (p=0.371), with no differences compared with control. Zinc application affected Notch pathway immunoreactivity, with a significant increase in Notch1 (p=0.0015) and Jagged1 (p<0.001).

Conclusions: The expression of putative stem cell markers in the OSE was verified and stem cell receptor activity was raised in the OSE and ovarian stromal cells by zinc and progesterone. Thus, this increased expression allows the therapeutic use of zinc and progesterone in ovary-related infertility and brings a different perspective to reproductive medicine.

Key words

stem cell - ovary - zinc - progesterone - infertility
 

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