Role of tumour necrosis factor stimulated gene 6 (TSG-6) in the coupling of inter-(alpha)-trypsin inhibitor to hyaluronan in human follicular fluid

Binding of the plasma proteinase inhibitor inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor (ITI) to hyaluronan is necessary for normal expansion of the cumulus-oocyte complex. Lack of ITI causes severe infertility. Binding of ITI to hyaluronan depends on calcium ions and coupling activity present in follicular fluid (Odum et al., 2002). The complexes formed by this process contain ITI heavy chains bound to hyaluronan, and bikunin is detached from ITI during the coupling reaction. In the present study, an electrophoretic technique by which hyaluronan-bound ITI is immobilized was used to demonstrate that tumour necrosis factor stimulated gene 6 (TSG-6) is necessary for the coupling reaction. Thus, immunoprecipitation of TSG-6 in human follicular fluid eliminates the coupling reaction and re-addition restores the activity. However, it appears that components other than hyaluronan, ITI, calcium ions and TSG-6 are involved in the coupling reaction, as in vitro incubation of these components does not generate stable complexes between ITI heavy chains and hyaluronan unless some follicular fluid is added. In conclusion, TSG-6 is necessary for the coupling of ITI to hyaluronan, but at least one additional component in follicular fluid is essential.