Ovulation is one of the cornerstones of female fertility. Disruption of the ovulatory process results in @entity249 , which affects approximately 10% of couples. Using a unique model in which the dominant follicle is collected across the periovulatory period in @entity1 , we have identified a leukocyte chemoattractant, chemokine ligand 20 ( @entity16365 ), in the @entity1 ovary. @entity16365 mRNA is massively induced after an in vivo @entity1 chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) stimulus in granulosa (>10 000-fold) and theca (>4000-fold) cells collected during the early ovulatory (12-18 h) and late ovulatory (18-34 h) periods after hCG administration. Because the LH surge sets in motion an inflammatory reaction characterized by an influx of leukocytes and @entity16365 is known to recruit leukocytes in other systems, the @entity43 (CD45+) containing the @entity16365 receptor @entity14284 was determined immediately prior to ovulation. CD45+/ @entity14284 + cells were primarily natural killer cells (41%) along with B cells (12%), T cells (11%), neutrophils (10%), and monocytes (9%). Importantly, exogenous @entity16365 stimulated ovarian leukocyte migration 59% within 90 minutes. Due to the difficulties in obtaining @entity1 follicles, an in vitro model was developed using granulosa-lutein cells to explore @entity16365 regulation. @entity16365 expression increased 40-fold within 6 hours after hCG, was regulated partially by the epithelial growth factor pathway, and was positively correlated with @entity1420 production. These results demonstrate that hCG dramatically increases @entity16365 expression in the @entity1 ovary, that ovarian leukocytes contain the @entity16365 receptor, and that @entity16365 stimulates leukocyte migration. Our findings raise the prospect that @entity16365 may aid in the final ovulatory events and contribute to fertility in @entity1 .

Chemokine Ligand 20: A Signal for Leukocyte Recruitment During XXXX Ovulation?

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women', 'human'] @entity43 :: ('MESH:D010051', 'Disease') :: ['composition of ovarian leukocytes'] @entity249 :: ('MESH:D007246', 'Disease') :: ['infertility'] @entity1420 :: ('MESH:D011374', 'Chemical') :: ['progesterone'] @entity14284 :: ('1235', 'Gene') :: ['CCR6'] @entity16365 :: ('6364', 'Gene') :: ['CCL20']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['Human']
