{"id":192,"title":"Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein promotes granulosa cell function and steroidogenesis in Duolang sheep ovarian follicles","title_zh":"STAR促进杜朗羊卵泡颗粒细胞功能与类固醇合成","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42971181","doi":"10.5713/ab.260646","pmid":"42971181","journal":"Anim Biosci","kind":"paper","lang":"en","published_at":"2026-10-28T00:00:00+00:00","fetched_at":"2026-11-08T03:43:57+00:00","authors":["Chen S","Zhu L","He C","Wang C","Shahbaz GM","Sun H","Xing F"],"primary_topic":"oocyte","topics":[{"slug":"oocyte","score":11.0,"hits":["follicles","granulosa","ovarian"]},{"slug":"ethics-policy","score":4.0,"hits":["regulatory"]},{"slug":"repro-endo","score":2.0,"hits":["estradiol","progesterone"]},{"slug":"repro-aging","score":1.0,"hits":["mitochondria"]},{"slug":"animal-models","score":0.8,"hits":["ovine"]}],"topic_score":11.0,"preference_score":0.0,"preference_labels":[],"llm_score":63.0,"final_score":63.0,"score_dims":{"novelty":60,"rigor":70,"impact":55,"relevance":58,"translation":50},"recommend_reason":"该研究在地方绵羊品种原代颗粒细胞中系统验证STAR的增益与缺失功能，对卵泡类固醇生成和动物繁殖研究有一定参考价值；但物种与体外设计限制其对人ART的直接转化意义。","keywords":["STAR","杜朗羊","颗粒细胞","类固醇生成","卵泡"],"selected":1,"story_id":300,"llm_provider":"deepseek","llm_model":"deepseek-flash","llm_effort":"low","source_key":"pubmed-gametes","source_name":"PubMed · 配子与性腺","source_tier":1,"mention_count":1,"has_interpretation":false,"journal_key":null,"journal_tier":"unknown","journal_if":null,"is_mock":false,"summary_zh":"该研究克隆了绵羊STAR基因858 bp编码序列，并在新疆杜朗羊原代颗粒细胞中进行过表达和抑制实验。结果发现，STAR过表达可上调PCNA、MYC、CCND2并促进增殖，通过上调Bcl-2、下调Bax和Caspase-3抑制凋亡，同时提高CYP11A1、3β-HSD、CYP19A1及ERβ表达，增加雌二醇和孕酮分泌；抑制STAR则呈相反趋势。研究为STAR调控羊颗粒细胞增殖、凋亡和类固醇生成提供了直接功能证据。","summary":"OBJECTIVE: Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STAR) is the principal regulator of steroid hormone biosynthesis by mediating the rate‑limiting transport of cholesterol into mitochondria. However, its functional significance in ovarian granulosa cells of the native Xinjiang Duolang sheep breed with moderate reproductive potential remains inadequately characterized. This study aimed to perform bioinformatic analysis of the STAR gene and directly evaluate its functional effects in primary granulosa cells of Duolang sheep. METHODS: An 858‑bp coding sequence of the ovine STAR gene was cloned, and bioinformatics analyses were performed to evaluate protein conservation across mammalian species. In cellular experiments, STAR gene expression was induced or inhibited in granulosa cells. Cell proliferative activity was evaluated using the CCK‑8 assay.Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and western blotting (WB) were used to determine the mRNA and protein expression levels of proliferation-related markers (PCNA, MYC, and CCND2), apoptosis-related factors (Bcl-2, Bax, and Caspase-3), steroidogenic enzymes (CYP11A1, 3β-HSD, and CYP19A1), and the estrogen receptor ERβ. Apoptotic cells were evaluated using Hoechst/propidium iodide (PI) double staining followed by fluorescence microscopy.The secretion of estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Bioinformatics analysis revealed high conservation of the STAR protein across mammalian species. Induction of STAR gene expression significantly increased the mRNA levels of PCNA, MYC, and CCND2, whereas inhibition showed the opposite effect (p < 0.05). STAR overexpression inhibited apoptosis by upregulating Bcl‑2 (p < 0.01) and downregulating Bax and Caspase‑3 (p < 0.05), with knockdown showing inverse patterns. STAR overexpression was accompanied by increased mRNA expression of steroidogenic-enzyme-related genes, including CYP11A1, 3β-HSD, and CYP19A1, as well as the estrogen receptor gene ERβ, together with enhanced secretion of E2 and P4. CONCLUSION: Collectively, these gain‑ and loss‑of‑function data provide direct functional evidence of STAR‑regulated proliferative activity, apoptosis and steroidogenesis in Duolang sheep primary granulosa cells.","interpretation_basis":null,"fulltext_status":null,"interpretation":null,"fulltext":{"available":false,"status":null,"reason":"尚未抓取全文（未入选、分数未达阈值，或还没跑 fulltext 步骤）","pmcid":null,"license":null,"chars":0,"source":null,"fetched_at":null}}