Abstract
Purpose: It is well established that human granulosa cells and luteal cells express inhibin/activin subunit protein and secrete immunoreactive inhibin. The gonadotropic control of secretion of different molecular forms of inhibin and activin A by granulose–luteal cells (G-LCs) was investigated using recently developed specific enzyme immunoassays (EIAs).
Methods: Granulosa–luteal cells obtained at IVF egg pickup were cultured in a serum-free medium at 37°C in a water-saturated incubator with 5% CO 2 for up to 5 days. Experiments with varying concentrations of human FSH, hLH, and hCG were carried out.
Results: FSH raised the secretion of inhibin A and pro-αC-containing inhibins after 24 and 48 hr in culture. Inhibin B was raised after 24 hr and activin A was raised after 48 hr of FSH treatment. LH treatment for 24 hr stimulated inhibin A, inhibin B, pro-αC, and activin A. hCG stimulated G-LC secretion of inhibin A after 48 hr and pro-αC after 24 hr. Paradoxically, inhibin B secretion was inhibited by 1 and 10 ng/ml hCG after 48 hr. Activin A was stimulated by hCG after 24 and 48 hr of incubation. G-LC secretion of estradiol and progesterone was also stimulated significantly by LH and hCG.
Conclusions: Secretion of dimeric inhibins and activin A is controlled differentially by gonadotropins.
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Muttukrishna, S., Groome, N. & Ledger, W. Gonadotropic Control of Secretion of Dimeric Inhibins and Activin A by Human Granulosa–Luteal Cells In Vitro. J Assist Reprod Genet 14, 566–574 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022524516824
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022524516824