Expression of follicle-stimulation hormone receptor (FSHR) is confined to
gonads and at low levels to some extragonadal tissues like human umbilical
vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). FSH-FSHR signaling was shown to promote HUVEC
angiogenesis and thereafter suggested to have an influential role in
pregnancy. We revisited hereby the expression and functionality of FSHR in
HUVECs angiogenesis, and were unable to reproduce the FSHR expression in human
umbilical cord, HUVECs or immortalized HUVECs (HUV-ST). Positive controls as
granulosa cells and HEK293 cells stably transfected with human FSHR cDNA
expressed FSHR signal. In contrast to positive control VEGF, FSH treatment
showed no effects on tube formation, nitric oxide production, wound healing or
cell proliferation in HUVEC/HUV-ST. Thus, it remains open whether the FSH-FSHR
activation has a direct regulatory role in the angiogenesis of HUVECs