[The effect of follicular fluid from patients with endometriosis, follicle stimulating hormone and bone morphogenetic protein 15 on the proliferation and progesterone secretion of granular cells].

Objective: The study was designed to evaluate the effect of follicular fluid from patients with endometriosis, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP-15) on the proliferation and progesterone secretion of human luteinized granular cells in vitro . Methods: Cumulus granulosa cells were collected from the patients who underwent in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) ovulation due to tubal or male factor infertility on the day of the retrieval. The cells in the control group were cultured with complete medium of DMEM/F-12, an extra of FSH at a dose of 12 μg/L was added in the FSH group, an extra of BMP-15 at a dose of 6 μg/L was added to the BMP-15 group, an extra of 5% of the follicular fluid from the patients with tubal or male factor infertility was added to the tubal group, an extra of 5% of the follicular fluid from the patients with endometriosis infertility was added to the endometriosis group, an extra of 5% of the follicular fluid from the patients with endometriosis infertility plus FSH at a dose of 12 μg/L were added to the endometriosis plus FSH group, and an extra of 5% of the follicular fluid from the patients with endometriosis infertility plus BMP-15 at a dose of 6 μg/L were added to the endometriosis plus BMP-15 group. Hemacytometer counting method was used to observe the growth of cells after 48 hours, and chemiluminescence method was utilized to measure the level of progesterone in culture supernatant. Results: The cell proliferation was enhanced in the FSH group, while the proliferation was inhibited in the endometriosis group and the endometriosis plus BMP-15 group, compared to the control group, both of which, were statistically significant. Compared to the control group, the progesterone levels from the culture supernatant of granular cells were significantly elevated in the FSH group, tubal group and endometriosis group. The secretion of progesterone in the endometriosis group was lower than that in the tubal group. After addition of FSH into the endometriosis group (the endometriosis plus FSH group), the secretion level of progesterone was significantly increased, compared to the control group and the endometriosis group. After adding BMP-15 into the endometriosis group (the endometriosis plus BMP-15 group), the secretion level of progesterone was increased, compared to the control group. Conclusions: FSH, but not BMP-15, was able to enhance the proliferation and progesterone secretion of granular cells. The proliferation of granular cells and secretion of progesterone were inhibited by the follicular fluid from patients with endometriosis, which was reversed by FSH. However, BMP-15 had no effect on the outcome of follicular fluid from patients with endometriosis.