NCBI Summary:
This gene encodes a member of the ADAM (a disintegrin and metalloprotease domain) family. Members of this family are membrane-anchored proteins structurally related to snake venom disintegrins, and have been implicated in a variety of biologic processes involving cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, including fertilization, muscle development, and neurogenesis. The protein encoded by this gene functions as a tumor necrosis factor-alpha converting enzyme; binds mitotic arrest deficient 2 protein; and also plays a prominent role in the activation of the Notch signaling pathway. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]
General function
Enzyme
Comment
The Release of EGF Domain from EGF-like Factors by a Specific Cleavage Enzyme Activates the EGFR-MAPK3/1 Pathway in Both Granulosa Cells and Cumulus Cells During the Ovulation Process. Yamashita Y et al. In mammalian preovulatory follicles, LH stimulation induces the ovulation process, including follicular wall rupture, granulosa cell luteinization, cumulus cell expansion and meiotic maturation of the oocyte. The receptor for LH (LHCGR) is expressed mostly in granulosa cells of preovulatory follicles, and is rarely expressed in cumulus cells or oocytes. The expression level in granulosa cells dramatically decreases after ovulation stimuli. Thus, a potent factor(s) secreted by granulosa cells is required to stimulate not only granulosa cells via an autocrine manner but also cumulus cells and/or oocytes via a paracrine pathway. Recent reports showed that granulosa cells and cumulus cells express EGF-like factors that activate the EGF receptor (EGFR)-mitogen-activated protein kinase3/1 (MAPK3/1) (also known as extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2)) pathway in both cell types. EGF-like factors are composed of a signal sequence, transmembrane domain and EGF domain, suggesting that release of the EGF domain by a specific enzyme is essential for interaction with the EGFR to induce the ovulation process. In our studies, TACE/ADAM17, which is known to be a proteolytic enzyme of EGF-like factors in many types of tissue, was found to be expressed in FSH/LH-stimulated granulosa cells and cumulus cells together with activation of the EGFR-MAPK3/1 pathway. When TACE/ADAM17 activity was decreased by a specific inhibitor or siRNA technique, granulosa cell luteinization, cumulus expansion and oocyte maturation were suppressed in an in vitro culture. Thus, TACE/ADAM17 is one of the key genes expressed in both granulosa cells and cumulus cells for induction of the ovulation process.
PKCδ and θ possibly mediate FSH-induced mouse oocyte maturation via NOX-ROS-TACE cascade signaling pathway. Chen Q et al. (2014) In mammals, gonadotropins stimulate oocyte maturation via the epidermal growth factor (EGF) network, and the protein kinase C (PKC) signaling pathway mediates this process. Tumor necrosis factor-α converting enzyme (TACE) is an important protein responding to PKC activation. However, the detailed signaling cascade between PKC and TACE in follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-induced oocyte maturation in vitro remains unclear. In this study, we found that rottlerin (mallotoxin, MTX), the inhibitor of PKC δ and θ, blocked FSH-induced maturation of mouse cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) in vitro. We further clarified the relationship between two molecules downstream of PKC δ and θ and TACE in COCs: nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase (NOX) and its products, reactive oxygen species (ROS). We proved that the respective inhibitors of NOX, ROS and TACE could block FSH-stimulated oocyte maturation dose-dependently, but these inhibitory effects could be reversed partially by amphiregulin (Areg), an EGF family member. Notably, inhibition of PKC δ and θ prevented FSH-induced translocation of two cytosolic components of NOX, p47phox and p67phox, to the plasma membrane in cumulus cells. Moreover, FSH-induced TACE activity in cumulus cells was decreased markedly by inhibition of NOX and ROS. In conclusion, PKC δ and θ possibly mediate FSH-induced meiotic resumption in mouse COCs via NOX-ROS-TACE signaling pathway.//////////////////
Protein Kinase C (PKC) Increases TACE/ADAM17 Enzyme Activity in Porcine Ovarian Somatic Cells, Which Is Essential for Granulosa Cell Luteinization and Oocyte Maturation. Yamashita Y 2014 et al.
During in vitro maturation of porcine cumulus cell-oocyte complexes and in vitro luteinization of porcine granulosa cells, FSH induces the expression of the protease TNFa-converting enzyme/A disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain 17 (TACE/ADAM17) and the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like factors, which activate the EGF receptor (EGFR)-MAPK3/1 pathway in both cumulus and granulosa cells. FSH is known to activate not only protein kinase A and p38MAPK pathways in both cell types but also activates protein kinase C (PKC). Because PKC-induced association of c-Src and TACE/ADAM17 is required for TACE/ADAM17 enzyme activation in some cancer cells, we hypothesized that PKC and c-Src impact TACE/ADAM17-mediated activation of EGFR signaling pathway in porcine granulosa and cumulus cells. When granulosa cells or cumulus cell-oocyte complexes were cultured with FSH, PKC activity and c-Src phosphorylation increased and were associated with increased TACE/ADAM17 enzyme activity. The PKC inhibitor calphostin C and the c-Src inhibitor (4-amino-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-7-(t-butyl)pyrazolo3,4-d pyrimidine) suppressed TACE/ADAM17 enzyme activity, whereas these inhibitors did not affect Tace/Adam17 mRNA expression. Immunoprecipitation analysis showed that FSH mediated the association of c-Src with TACE/ADAM17 via a PKC-dependent mechanism. Either calphostin C or 4-amino-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-7-(t-butyl)pyrazolo/3,4-d pyrimidine suppressed EGFR downstream signaling pathway (MAPK3/1) in these ovarian cell types and reduced cumulus expansion, meiotic maturation of oocytes, and progesterone production. The negative effects were overcome by the addition of amphiregulin. Collectively, these results indicate that activation of TACE/ADAM17 via a PKC-induced c-Src-dependent manner mediates proteolytic activation of the EGF-like factors that are involved in the induction of granulosa cell differentiation, cumulus expansion, and meiotic maturation of porcine oocytes in vitro.
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Hormone-induced expression of TACE/ADAM17 protease impacts porcine cumulus cell oocyte complex expansion and meiotic maturation via ligand activation of the EGF receptor. Yamashita Y et al. The epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like growth factors, amphiregulin (AREG) and epiregulin (EREG), are expressed in murine cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) where they impact the function of cumulus cells and oocyte maturation during LH-mediated ovulation. Since TACE/ADAM17 is essential for ectodomain shedding of AREG and EREG from surface of other cell types, the expression and function of TACE/ADAM17 was analyzed in a porcine COC culture system in which FSH and LH mediated expansion and oocyte meiotic maturation have been well-characterized and shown to occur between 20-40h. In this model, Areg, Ereg and Tace/Adam17 mRNAs increased significantly with maximum levels observed between 5-20 h of culture with FSH+LH. TACE/ADAM17 protein and protease activity were up-regulated markedly at 10 h and maintained to 40h. Treatment of COCs with the TACE/ADAM17 selective inhibitor, TAPI-2 significantly suppressed in a time-dependent manner downstream targets of EGFR activation such as ERK1/2 phosphorylation, Ptgs2, Has2 and Tnfaip6 mRNA expression, hormone-induced COC expansion and meiotic maturation of the oocytes. Addition of EGF to COCs cultured in the presence of FSH/LH reversed the inhibitory effects of TAPI-2 on these ovulation related processes. Gonadotropin-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 was also inhibited in rat granulosa cells treated with TAPI-2 or following transfection with Tace/Adam17 siRNA. Induced expression of Tnfaip6 mRNA was also reduced by Tace/Adam17 siRNA. Thus, TACE/ADAM17 is induced and the activity is involved in porcine COC expansion as well as oocyte meiotic maturation through the activation of EGFR in cumulus cells.
Expression regulated by
LH, Steroids, Eicosanoids
Comment
Molecular characterization of a disintegrin and metalloprotease-17 (ADAM17) in granulosa cells of bovine preovulatory follicles. Sayasith K et al. (2015) A Disintegrin And Metalloprotease-17 (ADAM17) is thought to play a key role in the release of soluble and active epiregulin (EREG) and amphiregulin (AREG) in ovarian follicles but its transcriptional regulation in follicular cells remains largely unknown. The objectives of this study were to characterize the regulation of ADAM17 transcripts in bovine follicles prior to ovulation and to investigate its transcriptional control in bovine granulosa cells. To study the regulation of ADAM17 transcripts, RT-PCR analyses were performed using total RNA extracted from bovine follicles collected between 0 h and 24 h post-hCG. Results showed that levels of ADAM17 mRNA were low prior to hCG (0 h), markedly and transiently increased 6-12 h post-hCG (P < 0.05), and returned to low baseline levels at 24 h post-hCG in granulosa and theca interna cells of preovulatory follicles. To determine the transcriptional control of ADAM17 expression, primary cultures of bovine granulosa cells were used. Forskolin (FSK) stimulation induced a pattern of ADAM17 mRNA up-regulation in vitro similar to that observed by hCG in vivo. 5'-deletion mutagenesis studies identified a minimal region of the bovine ADAM17 promoter containing basal and FSK-inducible activities, which were dependent on the presence of a consensus AP1cis-element. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed an interaction between AP1 and the trans-acting factor Fra2. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays confirmed an endogenous interaction between Fra2 and the ADAM17 promoter in granulosa cell cultures. FSK-inducible ADAM17 promoter activity and mRNA expression were suppressed by PKA and ERK1/2 inhibitors but not by a p38MAPK inhibitor, pointing to the importance of PKA and ERK1/2 signaling pathways in the up-regulation of bovine ADAM17 mRNA. Collectively, these findings describe the gonadotropin/FSK-dependent up-regulation of ADAM17 transcripts in bovine preovulatory follicles and unravel for the first time some of the molecular mechanisms involved in ADAM17 gene expression in granulosa cells of a monoovulatory species.//////////////////
Progesterone is Essential for Maintenance of Tace/Adam17 mRNA Expression, But Not EGF-like Factor, in Cumulus Cells, Which Enhances the EGF Receptor Signaling Pathway During In Vitro Maturation of Porcine COCs. Yamashita Y et al. During in vitro maturation of porcine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs), progesterone was secreted from cumulus cells and acted on the cumulus cells themselves, which required for cumulus expansion and oocyte maturation. EGF-like factor (amphiregulin, AREG; epiregulin, EREG) and its protease, TACE/ADAM17, are also expressed in cumulus cells, and thereby, soluble EGF domain was acted on the EGF receptor expressed on cumulus cells. In this study, we examined the relationship between progesterone function and EGF-like factor stimuli in cumulus cells of porcine COCs. When COCs were cultured with FSH and LH, Areg, Ereg and Tace/Adam17 were expressed in cumulus cells. Treatment with a progesterone receptor (PGR) antagonist, RU486, did not affect the Areg and Ereg mRNA expression levels at any culture time points. However, the Tace/Adam17 mRNA level, protein level and its activity were significantly suppressed by RU486 at the 30 or 40 h time point. At 20 h of culture, phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and the expressions of target genes (Has2, Tnfaip6 and Ptgs2) were not suppressed by RU486; however, at 40 h, ERK1/2 phosphorylation and the target gene expression levels were significantly downregulated by RU486 in cumulus cells. Furthermore, the negative effects of RU486 at 40 h were overcome by the addition of EGF. These results indicated that the level of TACE/ADAM17 in cumulus cells was regulated by the progesterone-PGR pathway during in vitro maturation of porcine COCs. Therefore, we concluded that the progesterone-induced TACE/ADAM17 leads to proction of soluble EGF domain from cumulus cells, which enhances functional changes of cumulus cells and progresses meiotic maturation of oocytes during in vitro maturation of porcine COCs.
Gene expression profiling of bovine preovulatory follicles: Gonadotropin surge and prostanoid dependent up-regulation of genes potentially linked to the ovulatory process. Li Q et al. The molecular mechanisms of ovulation and luteinization have not been well established, partially due to lack of a comprehensive understanding of functionally significant genes up-regulated in response to an ovulatory stimulus and the signaling pathways involved. In the present study, transcripts increased in bovine preovulatory follicles following a GnRH-induced LH surge were identified using microarray technology. Increased expression of 368 and 878 genes was detected at 12 (368 genes) and 20 h (878 genes) following GnRH injection. The temporal, cell specific and prostanoid dependent regulation of selected genes (ADAM10, DBI, CD36, MTSS1, TFG, and RABGAP1) identified from microarray studies and related genes (ADAM17, AREG) of potential significance were also investigated. Expression of mRNA for DBI and CD36 was simultaneously up-regulated in theca and granulosa cells following the LH surge, whereas temporal regulation of ADAM10, MTSS1, TFG and RABGAP1 was distinct in the two cell compartments and increased granulosa TFG and RABGAP1 mRNA was prostanoid dependent. AREG mRNA was increased in theca and granulosa cells at 12 and 24 h following GnRH injection. ADAM17 mRNA was increased in theca, but reduced in granulosa cells 24 h following GnRH injection. The increased ADAM17 and AREG mRNA was prostanoid dependent. ADAM10 and ADAM17 protein were increased specifically in the apex but not the base of preovulatory follicles and the increase in ADAM17 was prostanoid dependent. Results reveal novel information on regulation of preovulatory gene expression and suggest a potential functional role for ADAM10 and ADAM17 proteins in the region of follicle rupture.
Ovarian localization
Cumulus, Theca
Comment
Activation of PKA, p38MAPK and ERK1/2 by gonadotropins in cumulus cells is critical for induction of EGF-like factor and TACE/ADAM17 gene expression during in vitro maturation of porcine COCs. Yamashita Y et al. ABSTRACT: Objectives: During ovulation, it has been shown that LH stimulus induces the expression of numerous genes via PKA, p38MAPK, PI3K and ERK1/2 in cumulus cells and granulosa cells. Our recent study showed that EGF-like factor and its protease (TACE/ADAM17) are required for the activation of EGF receptor (EGFR), cumulus expansion and oocyte maturation of porcine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs). In the present study, we investigated which signaling pathways are involved in the gene expression of EGF-like factor and in Tace/Adam17 expression in cumulus cells of porcine COC during in vitro maturation. METHODS: Areg, Ereg, Tace/Adam17, Has2, Tnfaip6 and Ptgs2 mRNA expressions were detected in cumulus cells of porcine COCs by RT-PCR. Protein level of ERK1/2 phosphorylation in cultured cumulus cells was analyzed by westernblotting. COCs were visualized using a phase-contrast microscope. RESULTS: When COCs were cultured with FSH and LH up to 2.5 h, Areg, Ereg and Tace/Adam17 mRNA were expressed in cumulus cells of COCs. Areg, Ereg and Tace/Adam17 gene expressions were not suppressed by PI3K inhibitor (LY294002), whereas PKA inhibitor (H89), p38MAPK inhibitor (SB203580) and MEK inhibitor (U0126) significantly suppressed these gene expressions. Phosphorylation of ERK1/2, and the gene expression of Has2, Tnfaip6 and Ptgs2 were also suppressed by H89, SB203580 and U0126, however, these negative effects were overcome by the addition of EGF to the medium, but not in the U0126 treatment group. CONCLUSION: The results showed that PKA, p38MAPK and ERK1/2 positively controlled the expression of EGF-like factor and TACE/ADMA17, the latter of which impacts the cumulus expansion and oocyte maturation of porcine COCs via the EGFR-ERK1/2 pathway in cumulus cells.