Caspase-3 gene knockout defines cell lineage specificity for programmed cell death signaling in the ovary

Previous studies have proposed the involvement of caspase-3, a downstream executioner enzyme common to many paradigms of programmed cell death (PCD), in mediating the apoptosis of both germ and somatic cells in the ovary. Herein we used caspase-3 gene knockout mice to directly test for the functional requirement of this protease in oocyte and/or granulosa cell demise. Using both in vivo and in vitro approaches, we determined that oocyte death initiated as a result of either developmental cues or pathological insults was unaffected by the absence of caspase-3. However, granulosa cells of degenerating antral follicles in both mouse and human ovaries showed a strong immunoreaction using an antibody raised against the cleaved (activated) form of caspase-3. Furthermore, caspase-3 mutant female mice possessed aberrant atretic follicles containing granulosa cells that failed to be eliminated by apoptosis, as confirmed by TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxy-UTP nick end labeling) analysis of DNA cleavage and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining of nuclear morphology (pyknosis). These in vivo results were supported by findings from in vitro cultures of wild-type and caspase-3-deficient antral follicles or isolated granulosa cells. Contrasting the serum starvation-induced occurrence of apoptosis in wild-type granulosa cells, caspase-3-null granulosa cells deprived of hormonal support were TUNEL-negative, showed attenuated chromatin condensation by 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining and exhibited delayed internucleosomal DNA cleavage. Such ex vivo findings underscore the existence of a cell autonomous (granulosa cell intrinsic) defect in apoptosis execution resulting from caspase-3 deficiency. We conclude that caspase-3 is functionally required for granulosa cell apoptosis during follicular atresia, but that the enzyme is dispensable for germ cell apoptosis in the female.