The present study aimed to detect the effect of inhibin α (1–32) on the growth and apoptosis of the bovine preantral follicles. Also, on the expression of genes of follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR), insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R) and Activin genes. To enhance expression of the inhibin α (1–32) fragment, different types of preantral follicles were transfected with pEGISI (Figure 1) then in vitro cultured for 25 days (D). The inhibin DNA vaccine was constructed with inhibin α (1–32) fragment inserted into the C terminus of HBsAg-S. Transfection increased the growth and development of all types of preantral follicles till D10 but occurred to followed by sharp decreasing at D15. The incidence of apoptosis was higher (P < 0.01) in transfected preantral follicles than in controls at D15 and increased further (P < 0.01) by D25. The levels of gene expression in transfected follicles were increased by the first 10 days of culture then dramatically decreased in the remaining times of culture period to reach to the minimum level of expression. In conclusion, overexpression of inhibin α (1–32) fragment induce preantral follicle growth, just till D10 of in vitro culture but occurred significant decreasing in the growth due to apoptosis and decreased gene expression.
 

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