Glucose Transport by Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Is Mediated Through the Akt/FOXO1 Pathway in Ovine Granulosa Cells

Glycolysis in granulosa cells (GCs) is the primary location of energy metabolism and its substrates in oocytes and is closely related to follicular development in mammals. The complex morphological structure and physiological functions of GCs are regulated by follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), but little is known about how FSH regulates glycolysis in GCs, and its mechanism remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to investigate the mechanism by which FSH activates the Akt/FOXO1 pathway, thereby regulating glucose metabolism in ovine GCs. Granulosa cells were cultured in the presence of different concentrations of FSH and a CCK-8 assay was used to measure the proliferation of the treated cells. Next, qRT-PCR was performed to measure the transcription of the target genes, glucose transporter (GLUT). Western-blot analysis of the phospho-Akt and -FOXO1 levels induced by FSH through the glucose signalling pathway, in addition to the effects of these proteins on the expression levels of the downstream GLUT genes, was measured. Results showed that the addition of 10ng/mL FSH to the culture medium increased the viability of granulosa cells. Transcription of GLUT1 and 4 was significantly up-regulated in FSH-treated cells through activation of the Akt/FOXO1 phosphorylation pathway, thereby affecting glucose metabolism. This study contributes to the current understanding of the metabolic features of and the associated developmental pathways of ovine follicular GCs.

AKT/FOXO1; FSH; GLUT1/4; follicular development; glucose.