Riectomy, a further decline in 2-3 mm follicles and an increase
Riectomy, a further decline in 2-3 mm follicles and an increase in 4-6 mm follicles (P < 0.001) were found. GnRHa- and FSH-induced changes in 2-3 and 4-6 mm follicles in all treatment groups did not differ from the control group. When all follicles 2 mm were considered, FSH increased the total number of follicles by the third FSH dose (P < 0.001; Fig. 2), increasing further until the sixth FSH dose (P < 0.001) but not beyond. In contrast, GnRHa administration significantly reduced 4 mm follicles (P < 0.001; Fig. 2). An increase in 4 mm follicles was observed following the third FSH dose and beyond (P < 0.001). There were no differences in follicular classes 2 mm and 4 mm between control and all treatment groups. An increase was evident by the sixth FSH dose in 6 mm follicles (P < 0.001), culminating in a 3-fold increase at ovariectomy (P < 0.001; Fig. 2). Prenatal T treatment reduced 6 mm follicle number, with an initial decline evident by sixth FSH dose and achieving significance at ovariectomy (Fig. 2). Postnatal treatment with flutamide, but not rosiglitazone, prevented the prenatal T-induced reduction in 6 mm follicles.Intrafollicular steroidsStatistical analysisFor analyses of follicular dynamics, follicles were grouped as 2-3 mm, 4-6 mm, 2 mm, 4 mm, and 6 mm follicles. For intrafollicular steroid measurements, follicle classes included 3 mm, 4 mm, and 56 mm in diameter. Follicle size distribution among treatment groups and intrafollicular steroid concentrations among follicular classes within each treatment group and within a follicular class across treatment groups were analyzed by ANOVA and linear mixed effect model with Tukey posthoc tests. Percent change in intrafollicular steroid concentrations between 3 mm and 5-6 mm follicles was derived by subtracting concentration in 3 mm from that in larger follicles. Appropriate transformations were applied, as needed, to account for normality of data allowing analyses by parametric tests. All analyses were carried out using PASW Statistics for Windows release 18.0.1 and data presented as mean ?SEM. P < 0.05 was considered significant.Figure 3a shows changes in intrafollicular concentrations of steroids. In control females, intrafollicular T concentrations were higher in 3 mm vs. larger follicles (P < 0.05), while the reverse was found for intrafollicular E2 and P4, with higher concentrations found in 5-6 mm follicles (P < 0.05). Control females had an increase in E2 with follicle size (P < PubMed ID:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26104484 0.05) that was not seen in T and T + R females. T + F females had high E2 concentrations regardless of follicle size. There was no follicle size effect on intrafollicular T and E2 concentrations in T and T + F females, while an increase in P4 was evident in 5-6 mm follicles of T + R females. PubMed ID:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29069523 No differences were found among treatment groups with intrafollicular T, A4, BMS-5 site estrone, E2, and P4 concentrations in the different follicular classes. When analysis was restricted only to control and T-treated females, T females had lower T and P4 (P < 0.05) and tended to have lower A4 (P = 0.07) in 5-6 mm follicles. Overall evaluation of change in steroids between the 3 and 56 mm sized follicles (Fig. 3b) revealed increases in A4, estrone, E2, and P4 and a reduction in T in controlVeiga-Lopez et al. Journal of Ovarian Research (2016) 9:Page 5 ofFig. 2 Mean (?SEM) number of 2 mm (top panel), 4 mm (middle panel), and 6 mm (bottom panel) follicles before GnRH antagonist (PreGnRHa), after GnRH antagonist (PostGnRHa).
