Endothelin-1 in luteal tissue.
The aim of this study was to immunologically and biologically detect endothelin-1 (ET-1) in rat corpora lutea (CL). Recently, we established a highly sensitive and specific sandwich-enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for ET-1. Using this assay, the presence of ET-1 was investigated in superovulated ovaries, induced with pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and ovaries from pseudopregnant rats, induced by cervical stimulation. A high concentration of immunoreactive endothelin-1 (ir-ET-1) was found in the CL. On reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) coupled with EIA, ir-ET-1 was exclusively eluted at the same position as synthetic ET-1, indicating that ir-ET-1 is identical to ET-1. The level of ir-ET-1 was significantly (P less than 0.001) higher in the CL 7 days after hCG injection than it was 4 days after hCG injection. On day 7 of pseudopregnancy (PSP), the ir-ET-1 level was also significantly (P less than 0.001) higher than on day 4 of PSP. These results demonstrated that ET-1 is present in a high concentration in the CL, suggesting a new intraovarian peptide which may have a physiological function in the ovary and which may vary in quantity according to the age of the CL.
Usuki
S
S
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Suzuki
N
N
Matsumoto
H
H
Yanagisawa
M
M
Masaki
T
T
D000327:Adsorption; D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000378:metabolism*; D016232:Endothelins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D016232:Endothelins