The plasma corticosterone concentration in control and stressed mice (mean 6 SEM

The plasma corticosterone concentration in control and stressed mice (mean 6 SEM) (n = 9). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0052331.gANOVA (stress 6 BDNF), followed by Tukey’s honestly significantly different (HSD) test as post hoc analysis for further examination of group differences. The rate of ocyte maturation and embryo cleavage were evaluated with Chi Square test. Significance was defined as P,0.05. All analyses were conducted by statistical software, SPSS 17.0 for Windows.Results 1. The Mouse Stressed Model is Validated by Open Field Test and HPA Axis ActivityThe data of the wall time (Figure 1A), the number of horizontal locomotion (Figure 1B) and rearing (Figure 1C) from open field were shown in figure 1. Analysis showed that the wall time significantly increased, while the number of horizontal locomotionStress on Ovarian BDNF and Docosahexaenoyl ethanolamide site oocytes DevelopmentFigure 3. The effect of chronic stress on the ovarian BDNF detected by immunohistochemistry. Figure 3A and figure 3B show the ovarian BDNF immunoreactivity in early follicles in control (Figure 3A) and stressed (Figure 3B) mice. Figure 3C and figure 3D show the ovarian BDNF immunoreactivity in late follicles in control (Figure 3C) and stressed (Figure 3D) mice. Figure 3E shows the quantitative data (mean 6 SEM) (n = 9) are shown as folds vs. control group. *** P,0.001 vs. control group. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0052331.gand rearing significantly decreased in stressed mice as compared to control mice (n = 18; P,0.001 for all). The HPA axis activity was assessed by the number of CRH neurons in PVN of hypothalamus (Figure 2 A,B,C) and plasma corticosterone concentration(Figure 2D). Immunohistochemistry showed the number of CRH neurons in PVN significantly increased in stressed mice (Figure 2B) when compared with control mice (Figure 2A) (P,0.001). A quantitative analysis of the total number of CRH neurons in PVN was shown in figure 2C. The plasma corticosterone concentration was shown in figure 2D, which demonstrated that the plasma corticosterone concentration in stressed mice is significantly higher than that in control mice (P,0.001).2. Ovarian BDNF Expression was Decreased after Chronic Unpredictable StressImmunohistochemistry (Figure 3A,B,C,D) showed abundant BDNF expression in ovary. There are regional differences in the level of BDNF protein in different developmental stages of follicles. BDNF immunoreactivity was distributed mainly in oocytes, but not granulose cells in primordial, primary and secondary follicles (Figure 3A and figure 3B). There are no differences in the expression intensity in primordial, primary and secondary follicles between control mice (Figure 3A) and stressed mice (Figure 3B). BDNF immunoreactivity was distributed in both oocytes and granulose cells in antral follicles (Figure 3C and figure 3D). The BDNF expression intensity inFigure 4. The effect of chronic stress on the ovarian BDNF detected by western blotting. Data (mean 6 SEM) (n = 9) are shown as folds vs. control group. Figure 4A shows a representative western blot of ovarian BDNF. The predominant bands of 28 kD represent 256373-96-3 proBDNF, and the faint bands at 14 kD represent mature BDNF (mBDNF). Figure 4B shows the relative quantitative level of mBDNF protein. * P,0.05 vs. control group. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0052331.gStress on Ovarian BDNF and Oocytes DevelopmentTable 1. The effect of chronic stress and BDNF on the number of retrieved oocytes, oocyte maturation and embryo cleavage.Group Control Stressed gr.The plasma corticosterone concentration in control and stressed mice (mean 6 SEM) (n = 9). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0052331.gANOVA (stress 6 BDNF), followed by Tukey’s honestly significantly different (HSD) test as post hoc analysis for further examination of group differences. The rate of ocyte maturation and embryo cleavage were evaluated with Chi Square test. Significance was defined as P,0.05. All analyses were conducted by statistical software, SPSS 17.0 for Windows.Results 1. The Mouse Stressed Model is Validated by Open Field Test and HPA Axis ActivityThe data of the wall time (Figure 1A), the number of horizontal locomotion (Figure 1B) and rearing (Figure 1C) from open field were shown in figure 1. Analysis showed that the wall time significantly increased, while the number of horizontal locomotionStress on Ovarian BDNF and Oocytes DevelopmentFigure 3. The effect of chronic stress on the ovarian BDNF detected by immunohistochemistry. Figure 3A and figure 3B show the ovarian BDNF immunoreactivity in early follicles in control (Figure 3A) and stressed (Figure 3B) mice. Figure 3C and figure 3D show the ovarian BDNF immunoreactivity in late follicles in control (Figure 3C) and stressed (Figure 3D) mice. Figure 3E shows the quantitative data (mean 6 SEM) (n = 9) are shown as folds vs. control group. *** P,0.001 vs. control group. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0052331.gand rearing significantly decreased in stressed mice as compared to control mice (n = 18; P,0.001 for all). The HPA axis activity was assessed by the number of CRH neurons in PVN of hypothalamus (Figure 2 A,B,C) and plasma corticosterone concentration(Figure 2D). Immunohistochemistry showed the number of CRH neurons in PVN significantly increased in stressed mice (Figure 2B) when compared with control mice (Figure 2A) (P,0.001). A quantitative analysis of the total number of CRH neurons in PVN was shown in figure 2C. The plasma corticosterone concentration was shown in figure 2D, which demonstrated that the plasma corticosterone concentration in stressed mice is significantly higher than that in control mice (P,0.001).2. Ovarian BDNF Expression was Decreased after Chronic Unpredictable StressImmunohistochemistry (Figure 3A,B,C,D) showed abundant BDNF expression in ovary. There are regional differences in the level of BDNF protein in different developmental stages of follicles. BDNF immunoreactivity was distributed mainly in oocytes, but not granulose cells in primordial, primary and secondary follicles (Figure 3A and figure 3B). There are no differences in the expression intensity in primordial, primary and secondary follicles between control mice (Figure 3A) and stressed mice (Figure 3B). BDNF immunoreactivity was distributed in both oocytes and granulose cells in antral follicles (Figure 3C and figure 3D). The BDNF expression intensity inFigure 4. The effect of chronic stress on the ovarian BDNF detected by western blotting. Data (mean 6 SEM) (n = 9) are shown as folds vs. control group. Figure 4A shows a representative western blot of ovarian BDNF. The predominant bands of 28 kD represent proBDNF, and the faint bands at 14 kD represent mature BDNF (mBDNF). Figure 4B shows the relative quantitative level of mBDNF protein. * P,0.05 vs. control group. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0052331.gStress on Ovarian BDNF and Oocytes DevelopmentTable 1. The effect of chronic stress and BDNF on the number of retrieved oocytes, oocyte maturation and embryo cleavage.Group Control Stressed gr.