Objective: The study was designed to evaluate the effect of follicular fluid from patients with
endometriosis,
follicle stimulating hormone (FSH),
bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP-15) on the proliferation and
progesterone secretion of human luteinized granular cells in vitro. Methods: Cumulus granulosa cells were collected from the patients who underwent in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) ovulation due to tubal or male factor
infertility on the day of the retrieval. The cells in the control group were cultured with complete medium of DMEM/F-12, an extra of FSH at a dose of 12 μg/L was added in the FSH group, an extra of
BMP-15 at a dose of 6 μg/L was added to the
BMP-15 group, an extra of 5% of the follicular fluid from the patients with tubal or male factor
infertility was added to the tubal group, an extra of 5% of the follicular fluid from the patients with
endometriosis infertility was added to the
endometriosis group, an extra of 5% of the follicular fluid from the patients with
endometriosis infertility plus FSH at a dose of 12 μg/L were added to the
endometriosis plus FSH group, and an extra of 5% of the follicular fluid from the patients with
endometriosis infertility plus
BMP-15 at a dose of 6 μg/L were added to the
endometriosis plus
BMP-15 group. Hemacytometer counting method was used to observe the growth of cells after 48 hours, and chemiluminescence method was utilized to measure the level of
progesterone in culture supernatant. Results: The cell proliferation was enhanced in the FSH group, while the proliferation was inhibited in the
endometriosis group and the
endometriosis plus
BMP-15 group, compared to the control group, both of which, were statistically significant. Compared to the control group, the
progesterone levels from the culture supernatant of granular cells were significantly elevated in the FSH group, tubal group and
endometriosis group. The secretion of
progesterone in the
endometriosis group was lower than that in the tubal group. After addition of FSH into the
endometriosis group (the
endometriosis plus FSH group), the secretion level of
progesterone was significantly increased, compared to the control group and the
endometriosis group. After adding
BMP-15 into the
endometriosis group (the
endometriosis plus BMP-15 group), the secretion level of
progesterone was increased, compared to the control group. Conclusions: FSH, but not
BMP-15, was able to enhance the proliferation and
progesterone secretion of granular cells. The proliferation of granular cells and secretion of
progesterone were inhibited by the follicular fluid from patients with
endometriosis, which was reversed by FSH. However,
BMP-15 had no effect on the outcome of follicular fluid from patients with
endometriosis.