title: The effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on progestin secretion and cyclic AMP synthesis in cultured luteal cells from pregnant rats.
abstract: It is reported that steroid synthesis in ovarian cells is affected by epidermal growth factor (EGF). We cultured luteal cells from pregnant rats for 2 days with or without EGF, followed by incubation of the cells with or without stimulants (hCG, forskolin and dibutyryl cyclic AMP) for 5 hours. The levels of progesterone, 20 alpha-hydroxy-pregn-4-en-3-one (20 alpha-dihydroprogesterone) and cyclic AMP (cAMP) in the media were assayed. EGF had no effect on the basal levels of progesterone, 20 alpha-dihydroprogesterone and cAMP, but it suppressed these levels which were increased by the stimulants. We investigated binding capacity of [125I]-EGF to ovarian tissue of pregnant rats. Ovarian tissue had specific binding sites for EGF. The maximum number of binding sites was 2.38 fmol/mg tissue and the Kd value was 0.547 nM. It was indicated that EGF modified the reactivity of luteal cells to stimulants; counteracting the tropic effect of gonadotropins. It was shown that this effect of EGF might be exerted through its receptor in luteal cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arakawa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Isobe
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kambegawa
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okinaga
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003994:Bucladesine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002452:Cell Count / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005576:Colforsin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003470:Culture Media; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D008184:Luteal Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000378:metabolism*; D011372:Progestins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D003470:Culture Media; D011372:Progestins; D005576:Colforsin; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D003994:Bucladesine; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D066246:ErbB Receptors