Significance of mRNA levels of connexin37, connexin43, and connexin45 in luteinized granulosa cells of controlled hyperstimulated follicles

Objective: To evaluate the mRNA levels of connexins in different sizes of luteinized follicles. Design: Semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to determine the connexin mRNA levels in the granulosa cells of 91 luteinized follicles. Setting: Academic tertiary care medical center and research unit of university. Patient(s): Ninety-one female patients on controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH). Intervention(s): Sonoguided aspiration to collect the oocytes and the granulosa cells simultaneously. Main Outcome Measure(s): The RT-PCR data are normalized by comparing the intensity of the connexins to the intensity of internal controls (β-actin). The follicles are grouped according to the size and the mRNA levels of the connexins. The correlations among the size of the follicles, the outcome of oocytes, and the mRNA levels of the connexins are compared by Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney test. Result(s): The mRNA levels of the connexins are low in the follicles equal or larger than 5.5 mL. High cx43 levels are linked to good prognosis of oocytes. Conclusion(s): The luteinized granulosa cells from the large follicles are relatively quiescent in the connexin mRNA expression. In addition to the volume, the mRNA levels of cx43 may serve as a marker to predict the outcome of oocytes.