Relationship between human granulosa cell mitochondrial function and AMH - estrogen

Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) and estrogen are essential hormones in human ovarian folliculogenesis. AMH and estrogen are produced by granulosa cells. It is known that mitochondria in human granulosa cells are important for oocyte quality. The aim of our study is to reveal the relationship between granulosa cell mitochondrial function and AMH and estrogen production. Granulosa cells were isolated from the follicular fluids of twenty women undergoing infertility treatment included in the study. Human granulosa cell line HGL5, granulosa cells of patients with normal AMH and estrogen levels and granulosa cells of patients with low AMH and estrogen levels were studied in the study. The membrane potential of granulosa cell mitochondria was measured by immunofluorescence labeling (JC-1 cationic dye) and the morphological properties of mitochondria were demonstrated by electron microscopy. Kruskal Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for statistical analysis. For statistical significance, the total type-1 error level was determined as 5%. In the immunofluorescence labeling, the JC-1 value of the mitochondria of the granulosa cells of women with normal AMH and estrogen values was found to be statistically significantly higher than the JC-1 value of the granulosa cells of the women with low AMH and estrogen levels (p <0.016). C-shaped, ring-shaped, hooded and swollen mitochondria were observed in the cytoplasm of the group with low AMH and estrogen levels. In our study, a correlation was found between mitochondrial activity and serum AMH and E2. In the group with low AMH and E2 levels, it was observed that mitochondrial membrane potential was low and mitochondrial morphology was impaired.