Higher gonadotrophin surge-attenuating factor bioactivity is found in small follicles from superovulated women

1994 ◽  
Vol 143 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
P A Fowler ◽  
M Fraser ◽  
P Cunningham ◽  
P G Knight ◽  
B Byrne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inverse Relationship ◽  
Hydrophobic Interaction Chromatography ◽  
Pituitary Cells ◽  
Human Follicular Fluid ◽  
Follicle Diameter ◽  
Rat Pituitary ◽  
Follicle Size ◽  
Rat Pituitary Cells ◽  
Lh Secretion

Abstract Ovine and rat pituitary bioassays for gonadotrophin surgeattenuating factor (GnSAF) were utilized to determine whether the level of GnSAF bioactivity in pooled human follicular fluid (hFF) from superovulated women varied according to follicle diameter (≤11 mm, 12–15 mm and 16–21 mm follicles examined using the ovine bioassay, or ≤10 mm, 11–13 mm, 14–17 mm, 18–20 mm, 21–24 mm and ≥ 25 mm follicles examined using the rat bioassay). When tested using dispersed ovine pituitary cells, GnSAF bioactivity, expressed in terms of the reduction in gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-induced LH secretion, was inversely related to follicle diameter (P<0·01). In response to 5 μl hFF/well from follicles of ≤ 11, 12–15 and 16–21 mm diameter, GnRH-induced LH secretion was reduced to 40·5±6·6.9%, 65·2±6·6% and 83·7±7·9% of control respectively. A similar inverse relationship was observed when a second batch of hFF samples from different sized follicles was tested using rat pituitary cell monolayers. Expressing GnSAF bioactivity in terms of the dose required to suppress GnRH-induced LH secretion by rat pituitary cells to 50% of the maximal suppression observed (ED50), the three smallest follicle size pools contained the most GnSAF (ED50 values of 0·13, 2·79 and 5·36 μl hFF/well from follicles of ≤ 10, 11–13 and 14–17 mm respectively). The ED50 values for follicles of 18–20, 21–24 and ≥25 mm were 8·81, 27·1 and 60·0 μl hFF/well respectively. Thus hFF from follicles ≤ 11 mm was over 450 times more potent than hFF from follicles ≥ 25 mm in suppressing GnRH-induced LH release. The ED50 values for inhibin bioactivity (measured as the suppression of basal FSH secretion from rat pituitary monolayers) were much less variable than those for GnSAF bioactivity (between 0·85 and 0·13 μl hFF/well). Inhibin immunoreactivity, measured by a two-site immunoradiometric assay, followed the same pattern as inhibin bioactivity with lowest concentrations in the smallest follicles (41·96 ng/ml) and highest concentrations in the three largest follicle size groups (56·48–64·48 ng/ml). The specific effects of inhibin on GnRH-induced LH and basal FSH release in these pituitary bioassays were determined by incubating culture dishes with pure recombinant human inhibin at doses of 0·025–25 ng/well. In both the sheep and rat pituitary monolayers, basal FSH was suppressed (ED50=0·02 and 0·16 ng/well respectively). However, while inhibin markedly stimulated GnRH-induced LH secretion from ovine pituitary monolayers (ED50=0·04 ng/well), it suppressed GnRH-induced LH secretion from rat pituitary monolayers (ED50=0·31 ng/well) by 13%. The divergent effects of inhibin on GnRH-induced LH secretion in the two culture systems, and the relative insensitivity of GnRH-induced LH secretion to recombinant human inhibin in the rat system, indicates that the inverse relationship between GnSAF concentrations and follicular diameter cannot be an artefact of inhibin bioactivity. In addition, when hFF was fractionated by hydrophobic interaction chromatography using phenyl Sepharose, fractions which contained the greatest amounts of GnSAF bioactivity differed from those which contained peak levels of bioactive or immunoreactive inhibin. These results support in vivo observations that small follicles are important regulators of gonadotrophin secretion in superovulated women. Concentrations of GnSAF fall as the follicles approach an ovulatory size which enables positive steroid feedback on pituitary responses to hypothalamic GnRH, leading to the preovulatory LH surge. Journal of Endocrinology (1994) 143, 33–44

scholarly journals Demonstration of a non-steroidal, non-inhibin factor in the ovine corpus luteum of pregnancy that reduces pituitary responsiveness to GnRH-induced LH secretion in vitro

Reproduction ◽  
2003 ◽  
pp. 35-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
PA Fowler ◽  
NP Groome ◽  
KH Al-Gubory
Keyword(s):  
Corpus Luteum ◽  
Follicular Fluid ◽  
Corpora Lutea ◽  
Pituitary Cells ◽  
Human Follicular Fluid ◽  
Threefold Increase ◽  
Rat Pituitary ◽  
Rat Pituitary Cells ◽  
Lh Secretion

The decline in pulsatile LH secretion and pituitary responsiveness to GnRH as pregnancy advances may be due to non-steroidal factors secreted by the ovine corpus luteum of pregnancy. Corpora lutea from ten ewes on days 70-80 of gestation were homogenized, charcoal-treated and, together with charcoal-treated follicular fluid from superovulated women, were subjected to inhibin immunoaffinity chromatography, reducing dimeric inhibin A and B by >90% and abolishing inhibin bioactivity. These preparations were investigated using cultures of rat pituitary cells. GnRH-induced LH and FSH secretion in vitro was reduced by ovine corpus luteum extract and human follicular fluid by 47+/-5% and 42+/-5% of control LH and by 37+/-5% and 50+/-10% of control FSH, respectively (P<0.001). Extracts prepared from corpora lutea and placentae that were collected on days 50, 90 and 120 of pregnancy (five ewes per stage of pregnancy) showed increased GnRH-induced LH-suppressing bioactivity, particularly in the case of the placental extracts, with a threefold increase in activity. When partially purified by pseudochromatofocusing, GnRH-induced LH-suppressing bioactivity in extracts of ovine corpora lutea was identified at pH 5.40 and 5.77. Although these values are similar to published gonadotrophin surge-attenuating factor (GnSAF) bioactivity pI values, a GnSAF-blocking antiserum had no consistent effect on ovine corpus luteum extract GnRH-induced LH-suppressing bioactivity. It was concluded that the ovine corpus luteum of pregnancy contains a non-steroidal, non-inhibin factor, probably not GnSAF, that has the ability to reduce pituitary responsiveness to GnRH in vitro.

Modulatory effect of steroid hormones on GnRH-induced LH secretion by cultured rat pituitary cells

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (7) ◽  
pp. 963-969 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriela T. Pérez ◽  
Marta E. Apfelbaum
Keyword(s):  
Steroid Hormones ◽  
Pituitary Cells ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Stimulatory Action ◽  
Rat Pituitary ◽  
Lh Release ◽  
Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone ◽  
Rat Pituitary Cells ◽  
Lh Secretion

The purpose of the present experiments was to examine the short- and long-term effects of estradiol-17β (E2), progesterone (P), and 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), alone and in combination, on the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-induced luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion, using an ovariectomized rat pituitary cells culture model. After 72 h in steroid-free medium, pituitary cells were further cultured for 24 h in medium with or without E2 (1 nM), P (100 nM), or DHT (10 nM). Cultures were then incubated for 5 h in the absence or presence of 1 nM GnRH with or without steroids. LH was measured in the medium and cell extract by radioimmunoassay. The results show that the steroid hormones exert opposite effects on the release of LH induced by GnRH, which seems to be dependent upon the length of time the pituitary cells have been exposed to the steroids. In fact, short-term (5 h) action of E2 resulted in a partial inhibition (64% of control) of LH release in response to GnRH, while long-term (24 h) exposure enhanced (158%) GnRH-induced LH release. Similar results were obtained with DHT, although the magnitude of the effect was lower than with E2. Conversely, P caused an acute stimulatory action (118%) on the LH released in response to GnRH and a slightly inhibitory effect (90%) after chronic treatment. GnRH-stimulated LH biosynthesis was also influenced by steroid treatment. Significant increases in total (cells plus medium) LH were observed in pituitary cells treated with E2 or DHT. While the stimulatory effect of E2 was evident after both acute (133%) and chronic (119%) treatment, that of DHT appears to be exerted mainly after long-term priming (118%). These results suggest that the steroids modulate GnRH-induced LH secretion by acting on both synthesis and release of LH. On the other hand, total hormone content was not affected by P. The acute (5 h) effects of E2, P, and DHT on the GnRH response in E2-primed (24 h) cells during a short-term incubation, were also tested. Addition of P to the pituitary cells primed with E2 led to an acute potentiation of the stimulatory effect of E2 on GnRH-induced LH release and total content. Conversely, the augmentative E2 effect on pituitary responsiveness to GnRH was abolished by DHT. Taken together, these findings suggest that the physiological significance of the stimulatory action of progesterone could be to define the final magnitude of the LH preovulatory surge, while the inhibition by DHT could be required to limit the LH surge to that day of proestrus.Key words: luteinizing hormone, gonadotrophin-releasing hormone, steroid hormones, cultured pituitary cells.

scholarly journals Effects of activin on hormone secretion by single female rat pituitary cells: analysis by cell immunoblot assay

1999 ◽  
Vol 161 (3) ◽  
pp. 375-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Miyamoto ◽  
M Irahara ◽  
K Ushigoe ◽  
A Kuwahara ◽  
H Sugino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hormone Secretion ◽  
Activin A ◽  
Female Rats ◽  
Pituitary Cells ◽  
Female Rat ◽  
Single Female ◽  
Immunoblot Assay ◽  
Rat Pituitary ◽  
Rat Pituitary Cells ◽  
Lh Secretion

We investigated the effect of activin A on secretion of LH, FSH, and prolactin (PRL) by female cultured rat pituitary cells at the single-cell level by means of the cell immunoblot assay. Anterior pituitary cells from 8-week-old female rats were preincubated with or without activin A for 24 h, after which they were monodispersed and immediately used for cell immunoblot assay. The percentages of LH-, FSH- and PRL-immunoreactive cell blots detected were 5.5, 5.3 and 43.1%, respectively, of all pituitary cells applied to the transfer membrane. The percentage of LH-secreting cells and mean LH secretion per cell did not change after treatment with activin. In contrast, activin significantly increased the percentage of FSH-secreting cells and mean FSH secretion per cell to 136.0 and 114. 5% respectively. In addition, activin significantly decreased the percentage of PRL-secreting cells and mean PRL secretion per cell to 52.2 and 72.0% respectively. These results suggest that (1) activin A has effects on female rat pituitary cells that increase not only the amount of FSH secretion per cell but also the number of FSH-secreting cells, and (2) activin A decreases both the amount of PRL secretion per cell and the number of PRL-secreting cells.

Oxytocin has a role in gonadotrophin regulation in rats

1990 ◽  
Vol 125 (3) ◽  
pp. 425-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Robinson ◽  
J. J. Evans
Keyword(s):  
Follicular Development ◽  
Pituitary Cells ◽  
Lh Surge ◽  
Rat Pituitary ◽  
Lh Release ◽  
Rat Pituitary Cells ◽  
Dose Dependent ◽  
In Vivo Administration

ABSTRACT We previously demonstrated that oxytocin stimulates LH release from rat pituitary cells in vitro and advances follicular development and ovulation in mice in vivo. This study reports an investigation of rat LH levels following in-vivo administration of oxytocin. Injection of oxytocin (10 mIU/g, i.p.) to rats at 07.00, 08.00 and 09.00 h of pro-oestrus or at 09.00, 10.00 and 11.00 h of pro-oestrus advanced the onset of the LH surge (P<0.005) and attainment of peak concentrations of LH (P<0.02) in peripheral blood. On the other hand, the descending phase of the LH surge and the surge amplitude were not altered by oxytocin. Treatment at 05.00, 06.00 and 07.00 h of pro-oestrus or at 11.00, 12.00 and 13.00 h of pro-oestrus had no effect on the LH profile. A higher oxytocin dose (20 mIU/g) inhibited LH release when treatment was begun at 05.00, 07.00 or 09.00 h of pro-oestrus. A lower dose (5 mIU/g) was ineffective in altering LH concentrations. In addition, injections of oxytocin (10 mIU/g) at oestrus, metoestrus or dioestrus had no effect on the release of LH. Thus the efficacy of oxytocin in altering concentrations of LH was dose dependent and also critically affected by the day of the oestrous cycle and the time of pro-oestrus. Removal of endogenous oxytocin activity by the use of an oxytocin receptor antagonist abolished the pro-oestrous LH surge, indicating that oxytocin is a vital physiological component of the LH-releasing mechanism in rats. The study provides unequivocal evidence that oxytocin induces LH release in vivo, but the manifestation of oxytocin activity is dependent upon conditions of exposure. Journal of Endocrinology (1990) 125, 425–432

Effects of tri-iodothyronine, cortisol and transcriptional inhibitors on vitamin D3-enhanced thyrotrophin secretion by rat pituitary cells in vitro

1989 ◽  
Vol 121 (3) ◽  
pp. 451-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. C. d'Emden ◽  
J. D. Wark
Keyword(s):  
Primary Cultures ◽  
Relative Increase ◽  
Pituitary Cells ◽  
Dihydroxyvitamin D ◽  
Rat Pituitary ◽  
Tsh Secretion ◽  
Dependent Inhibition ◽  
Rat Pituitary Cells

ABSTRACT The hormone 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2D3) has been shown to selectively enhance agonist-induced TSH release in the rat thyrotroph in vitro. The interaction of 1,25-(OH)2D3 with tri-iodothyronine (T3) and cortisol was studied in primary cultures of dispersed anterior pituitary cells. TRH (1 nmol/l)-induced TSH release over 1 h was enhanced by 70% (P<0·01) following exposure to 10 nmol 1,25-(OH)2D3/l for 24 h. Pretreatment with T3 (1 pmol/l–1 μmol/l) for 24 h caused a dose-dependent inhibition of TRH-induced TSH release. Net TRH-induced TSH release was inhibited by 85% at T3 concentrations of 3 nmol/l or greater. Co-incubation with 1,25-(OH)2D3 resulted in enhanced TRH-induced TSH release at all T3 concentrations tested (P<0·001). The increment of TRH-induced TSH release resulting from 1,25-(OH)2D3 pretreatment was equivalent in the presence or absence of maximal inhibitory T3 concentrations. At 1 nmol T3/1, there was a two- to threefold relative increase in 1,25-(OH)2D3-enhanced TRH-induced TSH release. Incubation with cortisol (100 pmol/l–100 nmol/l) had no effect on basal or TRH-induced TSH release, nor did it alter 1,25-(OH)2D3-enhanced TRH-induced TSH release when added 24 h before, or at the time of addition of 1,25-(OH)2D3. Actinomycin D and α-amanitin abolished 1,25-(OH)2D3-enhanced TSH secretion. These data demonstrate that the action of 1,25-(OH)2D3 in the thyrotroph required new RNA transcription, and was not affected by cortisol. In the presence of T3, the response of the thyrotroph to TRH induced by 1,25-(OH)2D3 was increased. We have shown that 1,25-(OH)2D3 has significant effects on the action of TRH and T3 in vitro. These findings support the proposal that 1,25-(OH)2D3 may modulate TSH secretion in vivo. Journal of Endocrinology (1989) 121, 451–458

scholarly journals Molecular cloning and characterization of α1-soluble guanylyl cyclase gene promoter in rat pituitary cells

2006 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 503-515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yonghua Jiang ◽  
Stanko S Stojilkovic
Keyword(s):  
Guanylyl Cyclase ◽  
Transcriptional Activity ◽  
Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase ◽  
Promoter Sequence ◽  
Pituitary Cells ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Binding Factor ◽  
Rat Pituitary ◽  
Rat Pituitary Cells

Soluble guanylyl cyclase is a cytosolic enzyme which catalyzes conversion of GTP to the second messenger cyclic GMP. The transcriptional regulation at the promoter levels of four soluble guanylyl cyclase subunits, termed α1, α2, β1, and β2, is largely unknown. In this study, we identified the transcription start site of α1-soluble guanylyl cyclase gene in rat pituitary cells and cloned the 3.5 kb 5′-promoter. Sequence analysis of this TATA-less promoter revealed the presence of several putative-binding sites for transcriptional factors, including CCAAT site at −41 to −32 and Sp1 site at −34 to −24. Transfection of pituitary cells with constructs of variable lengths confirmed the relevance of different promoter regions in the control of transcriptional activity. Among them, the −49 to + 156 region was critical for basal transcriptional activity. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay using nuclear proteins extracted from normal and immortalized pituitary cells indicated that the CCAAT/Sp1 site within the −49 to + 156 region was able to specifically interact with CCAAT-binding factor and Sp1. These two sites were partly overlapped and both of them conferred stimulatory effects. The in vivo recruitment of CCAAT-binding factor and Sp1 was confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation. These results indicate that the composite CCAAT/Sp1 cis-element contributes to the expression of α1-sGC subunit in resting pituitary cells.

Effects of a novel gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist (ORG 30850) on gonadotropin and prolactin secretion by rat pituitary cells in culture

1991 ◽  
Vol 124 (1) ◽  
pp. 98-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Franchimont ◽  
Sabine M. Almer ◽  
Chantal-J. Charlet-Renard ◽  
Christine L. Daubresse ◽  
Peter P. Kicovic
Keyword(s):  
Culture Medium ◽  
Gnrh Antagonist ◽  
Inhibitory Effect ◽  
Prolactin Secretion ◽  
Male Rat ◽  
Pituitary Cells ◽  
Cell Content ◽  
Rat Pituitary ◽  
Rat Pituitary Cells ◽  
Lh Secretion

Abstract. The effect of a new GnRH antagonist (ORG 30850 ANT) on FSH, LH, and PRL secretion was studied using male rat pituitary cells in monolayer cell culture. In the absence of GnRH, ORG 30850 ANT did not alter spontaneous FSH and LH secretion into culture medium or the cell content of these hormones. In the presence of GnRH (10−8 mol/l), ORG 30850 ANT significantly and dose-dependently inhibited FSH and LH secretion into culture medium while increasing their cell content. Conversely, in the presence of a single dose of ORG 30850 ANT, FSH and LH secretion rose significantly when subjected to increasing amounts of GnRH, whereas the hormonal cell content diminished. Furthermore, inhibition of GnRH-induced FSH and LH release by ORG 30850 ANT was not changed by pre-incubation with the GnRH antagonist regardless of the pre-incubation time. The inhibitory effect of the GnRH antagonist was observed early, with its peak occurring within 6 h of culture. These short-term studies indicate that ORG 30850 ANT specifically inhibits GnRH-induced gonadotropin release into culture medium, exerts no effect on the rate of gonadotropin production in the presence or absence of GnRH, competitively and reversibly inhibits the binding of natural GnRH to its receptors, and does not lead to any modifications in PRL secretion.

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