Luteinizing hormone receptor deficiency in immature cumulus-oocyte complexes retrieved for assisted reproduction

Maíra Casalechi; Maria Thereza V Pereira; Wiviane A Assis; Cynthia Dela Cruz; Tays F Guedes; Ines Katerina Cavallo; Fernando M Reis

doi:10.1016/j.xfss.2024.12.006

Luteinizing hormone receptor deficiency in immature cumulus-oocyte complexes retrieved for assisted reproduction

F S Sci. 2025 Jan 2:S2666-335X(24)00086-7. doi: 10.1016/j.xfss.2024.12.006. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Maíra Casalechi¹, Maria Thereza V Pereira¹, Wiviane A Assis¹, Cynthia Dela Cruz¹, Tays F Guedes¹, Ines Katerina Cavallo¹, Fernando M Reis²

Affiliations

¹ Division of Human Reproduction, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
² Division of Human Reproduction, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Electronic address: fmreis@ufmg.br.

PMID: 39755155
DOI: 10.1016/j.xfss.2024.12.006

Abstract

This study investigated whether luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) expression varies in the granulosa cells of individual follicles according to the maturation stage of the oocytes harvested for assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment. We observed minimal to no LHR mRNA and protein expression in cumulus cells surrounding oocytes arrested in the germinal vesicle (GV) stage. Interestingly, their ability to mature was confirmed by rescue in vitro maturation, suggesting somatic cell LHR deficiency as a key factor for the retrieval of GV oocytes in ART procedures.

Keywords: Assisted Reproductive Technology; Luteinizing-hormone receptor; germinal vesicle; oocyte.