Hyaluronic acid inhibits apoptosis in granulosa cells via CD44

This study was designed to examine whether hyaluronic acid (HA) inhibits apoptosis in cumulus and mural granulosa cells and to examine whether this effect of HA was mediated through CD44. Mural and cumulus granulosa cells were obtained from in vitro fertilization patients. The cells were cultured with various concentrations of HA or HA plus various concentrations of anti-CD44 antibody without serum supplement. After 24 hr of culture, the cells were fixed and stained with Hoechst 33258. One thousand granulosa cells of each conditions were observed by fluorescence microscopy. HA inhibited apoptosis in both kinds of granulosa cells, and anti-CD44 antibody prevented this effect of HA. The incidence of apoptotic granulosa cells with fragmented condensed nuclei was reduced by HA via CD44.