The aim of the present study was to investigate variation in the expression pattern of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC1), spermine (SPM), spermidine (SPD) and antizyme inhibitor (AZIN1) in hypothalamus, ovary and uterus during the estrous cycle of rats. Further, to understand any correlation between polyamines and GnRH I expression in hypothalamus; effect of putrescine treatment on GnRH I expression in hypothalamus and progesterone and estradiol levels in serum were investigated. The study also aims in quantifying all the immunohistochemistry images obtained based on pixel counting algorithm to yield the relative pixel count. This algorithm uses a red green blue (RGB) colour thresholding approach to quantify the intensity of the chromogen present. The result of the present study demonstrates almost similar expression pattern of polyamine and polyamine related factors, ODC1, SPD, SPM and AZIN1, with that of hypothalamic GnRH I, all of which mainly localized in the medial preoptic area (MPA) of the hypothalamus, during the proestrus, estrus and diestrus. This suggest that hypothalamic GnRH I expression is under regulation of polyamines. The study showed significant increase in hypothalamic GnRH I expression for both the doses of putrescine treatment to adult female rats. Further, it was shown that in ovary expression pattern of ODC1, SPM, SPD and AZIN1 were similar with that of steroidogenic factor, StAR during the estrous cycle, and putrescine supplementation increased significantly estradiol and progesterone levels in serum, all suggesting ovarian polyamines are involved in regulation of ovarian steroidogenesis. Localization of these factors in the theca and granulosa cells suggest involvement of polyamines in the process of folliculogenesis and luteinization; and ODC1, SPD, SPM and AZIN1 in oocyte further suggests polyamine role in maintenance of oocyte physiology. Finally, in uterus SPM and AZIN1 were localized throughout the estrous cycle, being comparatively more during the metestrus phase. There was intense immunostaining of SPD in the luminal and glandular epithelium during the metestrus and diestrus phases of the estrous cycle suggesting these all the three polyamines as such play important role in regulation of uterine physiology.
Keywords: Hypothalamus; Ovary; Polyamine; Uterus.
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