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Biology of Reproduction, Vol 50, 956-964, Copyright © 1994 by Society for the Study of Reproduction

ARTICLES

Synthesis of the allylic regulatory steroid, 3 alpha-hydroxy-4-pregnen- 20-one, by rat granulosa cells and its regulation by gonadotropins

JP Wiebe, GC De Gannes and MJ Dallaire
Department of Zoology, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.

The production of the allylic regulatory steroid 3 alpha-hydroxy-4- pregnen-20-one (3 alpha HP) in the rat ovary was examined and compared to progesterone levels through use of specific RIAs that had been validated by capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Results showed that serum levels of 3 alpha HP are comparable to levels of progesterone at all ages examined. In the 4-day cycling rat, serum levels of 3 alpha HP were highest during diestrus and lowest during proestrus and estrus, while serum FSH levels were highest during proestrus/estrus and lowest during diestrus. Hypophysectomy resulted in decreases in ovarian and serum 3 alpha HP. Treatment of hypophysectomized rats with eCG, but not hCG, increased ovarian and serum 3 alpha HP, while serum progesterone was elevated by treatment with hCG. Ovariectomy resulted in a 55-60% reduction in serum 3 alpha HP, indicating that ovaries are a substantial, but not exclusive, source of 3 alpha HP in serum. As further evidence, cultures of preparations consisting primarily of either granulosa cells or granulosa/theca "shells" produced 3 alpha HP in time-dependent amounts comparable to those of progesterone. Granulosa cells in culture showed a significant increase in accumulation of 3 alpha HP (and progesterone) due to treatment with FSH, but not LH. In contrast to the granulosa- only cell cultures, follicle shells consisting of theca and granulosa cells responded to either LH or FSH treatment with marked increases in 3 alpha HP; increases resulting from combined treatment (FSH + LH) were significantly greater than those due to each hormone alone, but the increases were not additives.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


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Copyright © 1994 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction.