FP6 priority |
1.1.5 Food Quality and Safety |
Title of the proposal |
Xenobiotics and female reproduction |
Institute |
Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology
Vlarska 3, 833 06 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
www.endo.sav.sk |
Contact |
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Research subject for a potential FP6 project
Major factors in mammalīs infertility are defects occuring in the egg. Xenobiotics affecting repro-duction may elicit their effect at a number of sites in female reproductive system and function like oogenesis, ovulation and hormone production by ovarian cells. Cumulus expansion, with synthesis of hyaluronic acid, is responsible for the release and fertilizable ovum. The aim of the proposed study is to contribute to the explanation of the role of xenobiotics, particularly xenoestrogenes, on the processes of ovulation and maturation in oocytes and follicular cells. During meiosis and fertilization, as genetic material divides and rearranges, such compounds may cause developmental, reproductive and tumorigenic effects. The cell membrane is a dynamic matrix, which may respond to various xenobiotics by changing its physical state. The ordering of the lipid environment in which receptors for hormones are embedded can affect the function of receptor, as well as transmission of the signal across the membrane. The effects of xenobiotics on lipid-lipid and lipid-protein interactions will be investigated by biophysical methods. The studies will be performed in porcine and human follicular cells in culture and cultured human epidermal cells to evaluate the impact of short and long time exposure to xenobiotics on cell proliferation, cytotoxicity and apoptosis.
The results will identify environmental hazards that may be causing reproductive effects in humans. |
Recent international cooperation of the research team
1/ Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic;
2/ INSERM U-338, Strasbourg, France |
Proposerīs relevant publications related to the research subject
Kolena J., Scukova S., Jezova M.: Thermal destabilization of ovarian LH/hCG receptors by negatively charged lipids. Exp. Clin. Endocrinol. Diabetes 2002, 110, 77-79.
Jezova M., Scukova S., Nagyova E., Vranova J., Prochazka R., Kolena J: Effect of intraovarian factors on porcine follicular cells: cumulus expansion, granulosa and cumulus cell progesterone production. Animal Reprod. Sci. 2001, 65, 115-126
Kolena J., Vrsanska S., Nagyova E., Jezova M.: Gossypol inhibits follicle-stimulating hormone- and epidermal growth factor-stimulated expansion of oocyte-cumulus complexes from porcine preovulatory follicles. Physiol. Res. 2001, 50, 593-596.
Kolena J., Jezova M.,Vranova J., Scukova S.: Structure-stabilizing effect of albumin on rat ovarian LH/hCG receptors. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1999, 1416, 208-216.
Fickova M., Kolena J., Cremel G.: Regulation of EGF receptor activity. Structure and Stability of Biomacromolecules 2001, 131-132.
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