CATECHOL OESTRADIOL CONTROL OF FSH-STIMULATED GRANULOSA CELL STEROIDOGENESIS

in Journal of Endocrinology
Authors:
K.E. Hudson
Search for other papers by K.E. Hudson in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
and
S.G. Hillier
Search for other papers by S.G. Hillier in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
Restricted access
Rent on DeepDyve

Sign up for journal news

ABSTRACT

Catechol oestrogens are formed in the ovary but it is not known if they have a local function. Working with primary granulosa cell cultures prepared from immature rat ovaries, we found that the presence of 2-hydroxyoestradiol in the culture medium (48 h incubation) dramatically enhanced the steroidogenic response (progesterone production) to human FSH (100 ng/ml). The effect of 2-hydroxyoestradiol was dose-dependent and maximal (approximately 40 times the response to FSH alone) at 3.0 μM. The stimulatory action of 1.0 μM 2-hydroxyoestradiol was >10 times more than that of 1.0 μM oestradiol but only half that of 1.0 μM testosterone; other catechol oestrogens (2-hydroxyoestrone, 4-hydroxyoestradiol, 2-methoxyoestradiol and 2-methoxyoestrone) were not stimulatory. The stimulatory actions of 2-hydroxyoestradiol and testosterone were partially additive and each was antagonized in the same way by the presence of a specific antiandrogen (SCH16423). These observations suggest a role for intrafollicular catechol oestradiol in modulating FSH-stimulated granulosa cell steroidogenesis; its mechanism of action may be similar to that of testosterone.

 

  • Collapse
  • Expand