LAUSR

Abstract Objectives. Development of nanoparticles (NPs) for biomedical applications, including medical imaging and drug delivery, is currently undergoing a dramatic expansion. Diverse effects of different type NPs relating to mammalian reproductive tissues have been demonstrated. Th e objective of this study was to explore the in vitro effects of polymeric nanoparticle poly(ethylene glycol)-blockpolylactide methyl ether (PEG-b-PLA NPs) on functional state and viability of ovarian granulosa cells (GCs), which play an important role in maintaining ovarian function and female fertility. Methods. The GCs isolated from porcine ovarian follicles were incubated with the different concentrations of PEG-b-PLA NPs (PEG average Mn=350 g/mol and PLA average Mn=1000 g/mol; 0.2-100 μg/ml) or poly(ethylene glycol) with an average molecular weight of 300 (PEG-300; 0.2- 40 mg/ml) in the presence or absence of stimulators, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH; 1 μg/ml), androstenedione (100 nM), forskolin (10 μM) or 8Br-cAMP (100 μM), for different time periods (24, 48, 72 h). At the end of the incubation, progesterone and estradiol levels produced by GCs were measured in the culture media by radioimmunoassay. Th e viability of GCs was determined by the method using a colorimetric assay with MTT. Results. Treatment of GCs with PEG-b-PLA NPs induced a significant decrease in basal as well as FSH-stimulated progesterone secretion above the concentration of 20 and 4 μg/ml, respectively. Moreover, PEG-b-PLA NPs reduced forskolin-stimulated, but not cAMP-stimulated progesterone production by GCs. A dose-dependent inhibition of androstenedione-stimulated estradiol release by GCs was found by the action of PEG-b-PLA NPs. Incubation of GCs with PEG-300 significantly inhibited basal as well as FSH-stimulated progesterone secretion above the concentration of 40 mg/ml. PEG-b-PLA NPs and PEG-300 significantly reduced the viability of GCs at the highest tested concentrations (100 μg/ml and 40 mg/ml, respectively). Conclusions. The obtained results indicate that polymeric NPs PEG-b-PLA might induce alterations in steroid hormone production by ovarian GCs and thereby could modify reproductive functions.