Effect of quercetin on granulosa cells development from hierarchical follicles in chicken.

1. The bioflavonoid quercetin is a biologically active component, but its functional regulation of granulosa cells (GCs) during chicken follicular development is little studied. To investigate the effect of quercetin on follicular development in laying hens, an study was conducted on granulosa cells from hierarchical follicles treated with quercetin.2. The effect of quercetin on cell activity, proliferation and apoptosis of granulosa cells was detected by CCK-8, EdU and apoptosis assays. The effect on progesterone secretion from granulosa cells was investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen () mRNA and oestrogen receptors (ERs), as well as the expression of steroid acute regulatory protein (), cytochrome P450 cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme () and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase () mRNA during progesterone synthesis, were measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). , and protein expression levels were detected using Western blotting (WB).3. The results showed that treatment with quercetin in granulosa cells significantly enhanced cell vitality and proliferation, reduced apoptosis and promoted the expression of gene and protein levels of . The levels of progesterone secretion increased significantly following quercetin treatment, as did the expression levels of and using the Western Blot (WB) method.4. The mRNA expression levels of were significantly upregulated in the 100 ng/ml and 1000 ng/ml quercetin-treated groups, while there was no significant difference in expression levels of mRNA.