Insulin-like growth factor binding proteins in granulosa and thecal cells from bovine ovarian follicles at different stages of development.

Because IGFBP inhibit IGF-stimulated cellular proliferation and differentiation, it is hypothesized that variations among IGFBP in individual follicles might contribute to the regulation of recruitment, selection, dominance, and turnover of ovarian follicles. Sources of IGFBP in fluid of bovine follicles are not well established; thus, objectives of this study were to determine levels of IGFBP binding activities and messenger RNA (mRNA) in granulosa and theca interna cells at different stages of follicular development (small [< 6 mm], medium [6 to < 8 mm], and large [> or = 8 mm]) and to characterize associations of these levels measured in the cells with levels of IGFBP and steroids in follicular fluid. Thecal and granulosa cells from large healthy follicles contained two- to twentyfold less (P < 0.05) IGFBP-2, -3, and -5 than cells from small, medium, and large atretic follicles. Thecal cells from small, medium, and large atretic follicles contained more (P < 0.05) IGFBP-3 and -4 than granulosa cells from these follicles, whereas granulosa cells from these follicles contained more IGFBP-2 activity than thecal cells. Differences in IGF binding activity were paralleled by differences in levels of mRNA for the respective IGFBP. Developmental differences in IGFBP activity in follicular fluid were positively associated with activity in granulosa and/or thecal cells, with the exception of IGFBP-4, which was low in fluid from large healthy follicles but markedly increased (mRNA and binding activity) in granulosa cells from these follicles. It is concluded that developmental changes in follicular fluid IGFBP-2 and -5 binding activities seem to be controlled in part by alterations in synthesis of these IGFBP by granulosa and thecal cells, whereas diminished IGFBP-4 in fluid from large healthy follicles occurs concomitantly with increased levels of IGFBP-4 mRNA and activity in granulosa cells, implicating posttranslational regulation by specific proteases.