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. 2018 Mar 12;24(6):318–326. doi: 10.1093/molehr/gay014

Figure 4.

Figure 4

Schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between vitamin D and AGEs in follicular fluid and human luteinized granulosa cells. A positive correlation exists between follicular fluid 25-hydoxyvitamin D (25-OHD) and follicular fluid sRAGE, which inhibits the circulating AGEs from activating their pro-inflammatory RAGE signaling pathway. AGEs affect steroidogenesis by upregulating luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR), which is known to induce steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme (CYP11A1). AGEs also upregulate 17α-hydroxylase/17,20 lyase (CYP17A1) and 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) ultimately leading to more production and release of estradiol. Upward green arrows indicate upregulation by AGEs. 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (vit D3) downregulates RAGE expression and inhibits the effect of AGEs on LHR, StAR, CYP11A1 and CYP17A1, but not the effects on 3β-HSD.