THE EFFECT OF MOLYBDENUM ON OVARIAN FUNCTIONS OF RAT

The objective of this thesis was to examine the effect of metals on the expression of regulators of apoptosis and secretory activity of ovarian cells of rats in vitro. The following substances were observed: growth factor IGF-I, steroid hormones progesterone and estradiol, regulators of apoptosis: Bcl-2, Bax and caspase-3. Growth factor IGF-I and steroid hormones progesterone and estradiol were detected by RIA method and intracellular peptides were detected by Western-imunoblotting. In our study all examined substances were affected by various concentrations of [(NH4)(6)center dot Mo7O24 center dot 4H(2)O]. The release of growth factor IGF-I was inhibited by all concentrations of selected Mo. The highest dose of Mo (500 mu g.ml(-1)) stimulated the most intense IGF-I secretion. In the case of the steroid hormone progesterone we did not achieve demonstrable (p >= 0,05) results, but the secretion of P-4 had a decreasing tendency. The inhibitory effect of estradiol on the release of Mo was seen (p <= 0,05) at concentrations of 90 mu g.ml(-1), 170 mu g.ml(-1), 500 mu g.ml(-1), at a dose of 330 mu g.ml(-1) results were not conclusive, but nevertheless, we detected a reduction in estradiol secretion. Inhibition of apoptosis marker expression of Bcl-2 has been observed due to the lowest concentrations (90 and 170 mu g.ml(-1)), increasing expression was observed in the experiment with the addition of 330 mu g.ml(-1). At concentrations of 90, 170, 330 mu g.ml(-1) was found to stimulate the expression of pro-apoptotic Bax peptide. Lower doses of Mo (90 and 170 mu g.ml(-1)) had no effect on the expression of caspase-3, release was not significantly (p <= 0,05) stimulated concentrations of 330 and 500 mu g.ml(-1). Data obtained from in vitro experiment indicate that Mo has an effect on endocrine and apoptotic processes in the ovaries of rats. The results of this work suggest that the effect of Mo on ovarian processes is dose-dependent. Compounds of this metal may be potential regulators of intracellular ovary processes, hormone secretion and expression of regulators of apoptosis.