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Biology of Reproduction, Vol 17, 499-505, Copyright © 1977 by Society for the Study of Reproduction

The Effect of Androstenedione on Progesterone Accumulation in Cultures of Bovine Ovarian Follicles

MORDECHAI SHEMESH 1, and MENACHEM AILENBERG 1

1 Section of Steroid Biochemistry, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Israel


The effect of androstenedione, estradiol-1beta3, LH and a combination of LH and androstenedione on progesterone and prostaglandin F accumulation by cultured follicles of the bovine ovary was studied. The hormones were injected into small (diameter of 0.7 ± 0.4 cm) and large (1.6 ± 0.4 cm) follicles at the beginning of incubation. Progesterone and prostaglandin F levels in the medium were measured at 24, 48 and 72 h of incubation.

The control levels of progesterone accumulation were 2 to 3-fold lower for the small as compared with the large follicles. Androstenedione (µ/follicle) on its own caused approximately a 3-fold increase in progesterone accumulation in large follicles after 24, 48 and 72 h of incubation. In the small follicles the stimulatory effect of androstenedione was significant only after 72 h. A higher dose of androstenedione (6 µg/follicle) significantly decreased progesterone accumulation by large follicles, but not in the small follicles. In the large follicles LH on its own caused at 24 h an approx. 3-fold increase in the rate of progesterone accumulation. LH had no significant steroidogenic effect in small follicles (P>0.05). However there appeared to be no significant effect of combined LH and androstenedione on progesterone secretion after 24, 48, 72 h of incubation (P>0.05). Injection of estradiol-17beta (µg/follicle) failed to enhance progesterone secretion in both small and large follicles (P>0.05).

Control levels of prostaglandin F accumulation were 2 to 3-fold lower for the small than the large follicles. The rate of accumulation of prostaglandin was unchanged in both treated and large and small follicles, although a significant fall was noted in the large follicles after 24 h of incubation.

It is proposed that androgen may play a role in the control of the steroidogenic activity of the follicle and exhibits a slight but not significant synergistic effect on LH action. Androgen effect might be dose dependent and not mediated through formation of either estrogen or prostaglandin F.

Note:
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors are grateful to Prof. Cornelia P. Channing for her fruitful comments and interest in the manuscript. We thank Dr. John Pike, The Upjohn Company, for the gift of prostagiandin and Mrs. T. Mazor for her excellent technical assistance.

Submitted on December 22, 1976
Accepted on May 20, 1977






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Copyright © 1977 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction.