title: A synergistic effect of androgen on the stimulation of progesterone secretion by FSH in cultured rat granulosa cells.
abstract: Granulosa cells from preovulatory follicles (PO) or from the enlarged preantral follicles of hypophysectomized immature diethylstilbestrol-treated (Hx-DES) rats were cultured with various combinations of FSH, androst-4-ene-3,17-dione (Ad), estradiol-17beta and dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP). Progestin levels (progesterone and 20alpha-dihydroprogesterone) in the medium after 2 days of culture were assayed by radioimmunoassay. The control levels of the two progestins were lower for Hx-DES than for PO cells. Rat FSH (NIAMD-1-3;0.1 mug/ml) caused a 2-fold rise in progestin accumulation in both PO and Hx-DES cultures, dbcAMP (1 mM) increased progestin accumulation in PO cultures 4-5-fold, and to an even greater extent (10-20 fold) in Hx-DES cultures. Androstenedione (1.0 mug/ml) augmented progestin accumulation (1.5-3-fold), and synergized the steroidogenic action of FSH: in cells from Hx-DES rats, combined treatment with FSH and Ad caused a 5-10-fold increase over the values obtained with FSH alone. Testosterone and 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone, but not estradiol-17beta or estrone, mimicked these effects of Ad, Ad did not synergize the action of dbcAMP on progestin levels in Hx-DES cultures. It is proposed that androgen may play a role in the development of the FSH-responsive mechanism in preantral granulosa cells.
mesh_terms: D000728:Androgens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D003994:Bucladesine / Q000494:pharmacology; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D004970:Estrone / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000378:metabolism*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D004970:Estrone; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D003994:Bucladesine; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone