Biology of Reproduction, Vol 51, 787-794, Copyright © 1994 by Society for the Study of Reproduction

ARTICLES

Avian granulosa cell prostaglandin secretion is regulated by transforming growth factor alpha and beta and does not control plasminogen activator activity during follicular development

J Li, M Li, M Lafrance and BK Tsang
Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

The aim of the present study was to determine the role of transforming factor alpha (TGF alpha) and beta (TGF beta) in the regulation of prostaglandin (PG) secretion, and the relationships between PG and plasminogen activator (PA) activity in hen granulosa cells during ovarian follicular development. Cells from the first (F1), third (F3), and fifth and sixth (F5-6) largest preovulatory follicles were cultured for up to 21 h in the presence of TGF alpha (0.1-10 ng/ml) and/or TGF beta (4-20 ng/ml) or TGF alpha together with a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin (0.05-0.5 microM). The release of PG into the incubation medium was determined by RIA. Cell-associated (PAc) and secreted (PAs) PA activities were measured by a fibrinolysis assay and characterized by zymography. Basal PGF secretion from F1, F3, and F5-6 cells was 2.2 +/- 0.3, 2.2 +/- 0.5, and 1.1 +/- 0.3 ng/micrograms DNA, respectively, and was higher than that of PGE. Basal total PA (PAc+PAs) activity from F1, F3, and F5-6 cells was 41 +/- 13,261 +/- 68, and 958 +/- 268 x 10(3) cpm/micrograms DNA, respectively. TGF alpha stimulated PG secretion and PA activity in a dose-dependent manner. The TGF alpha- induced PA activity was predominantly associated with a molecular mass of 30-35 kDa, corresponding to that of urokinase PA. The stimulation of PG secretion by TGF alpha was maximal in F3 and F1 granulosa cells whereas PA activity in the presence of TGF alpha was highest in cells from F5-6 follicles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)