title: Differential regulation of hCG and progesterone secretion by cholera toxin and phorbol ester in human cytotrophoblasts.
abstract: The secretion of hCG and progesterone (P) by human cytotrophoblasts was studied in response to cholera toxin (CT), which activates adenylate cyclase, and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), a protein kinase C stimulator. During a 24 h incubation CT and TPA increased hCG and P secretion in a concentration-dependent manner. At maximal effective concentrations, CT (1.0 ng/ml), TPA (10 ng/ml) and CT plus TPA stimulated hCG production by 5.7-, 2.7- and 10.0-fold, respectively, and P production by 1.8-, 1.8- and 2.0-fold, respectively. Time-course studies indicated that these effects became detectable after 12 h and increased up to 48 h of incubation. During a 24 h culture TPA potentiated CT-induced cAMP formation by 1.4-fold indicating that its effects on hCG production may be, at least partly, mediated through cAMP. In conclusion, CT and TPA are potent stimulators of human cytotrophoblast hCG and P production. Simultaneous stimulation by these agents results in potentiation of hCG production whereas P production remains at the same level as with CT or TPA alone. The results suggest that the endocrine activity of human cytotrophoblasts is under multihormonal control and hCG and P secretion are differentially regulated.
authors.affiliation: Department I of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ritvos
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bützow
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jalkanen
authors.forename: U H
authors.initials: UH
authors.lastname: Stenman
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Huhtaniemi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ranta
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002772:Cholera Toxin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D011374:Progesterone; D002772:Cholera Toxin; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate