Monitoring the menstrual cycle of humans and lowland gorillas based on urinary profiles of bioactive follicle-stimulating hormone and steroid metabolites.
A sensitive and specific in vitro granulosa cell aromatase bioassay was adapted to measure bioactive FSH (bio-FSH) levels in urine samples. Urinary levels of bio-FSH, immunoreactive LH, estrone conjugates, and pregnanediol-3-glucuronide (PdG) were measured in first morning urine samples during the menstrual cycle in six cycling women and four lowland gorillas. The cycle length of women was relatively constant [28 +/- 1 (+/- SD) days], but varied from 28-38 days for lowland gorillas; the length of the luteal phases was relatively constant for both. All subjects had a midcycle LH peak and a luteal phase elevation in PdG. In addition, urinary estrogen excretion displayed a midcycle elevation that preceded the LH peak and a luteal phase increase similar to that of PdG. The bio-FSH levels in urine of cycling women, although at almost 100-fold higher concentrations, exhibited a pattern that closely resembled that of serum bio-FSH levels reported earlier, with an early follicular phase rise and a midcycle peak. Statistical analysis indicated a highly significant correlation (r = 0.90) between serum and urinary bio-FSH levels during the human menstrual cycle and in women in several hypo- and hypergonadotropic states, including oral contraceptive pill users, hypothalamic amenorrhea, premature ovarian failure, and postmenopause. Although a midcycle bio-FSH surge was also detected in lowland gorillas, two peaks of bio-FSH levels were consistently found during the follicular phase. The late follicular phase increase in bio-FSH levels was presumably involved in follicle selection and preceded the midcycle FSH peak by about 6 days, whereas the timing of the early follicular phase peak was variable, suggesting the involvement of complex regulatory mechanisms. These findings suggest that measurement of urinary bio-FSH levels in humans reflects serum bio-FSH in subjects in several physiological and pathological states. Studies of urinary bio-FSH levels in humans and nonhuman primates are useful in monitoring menstrual cycles, and the gorillas may be a model for understanding human reproductive cycles. The urinary granulosa cell aromatase bioassay should be useful for future assessment of bio-FSH levels in situations where serum measurements are impractical or in animal species for which specific FSH RIAs are not available.
D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000652:urine; D000818:Animals; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000494:pharmacology; D004970:Estrone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000652:urine*; D006071:Gorilla gorilla / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000652:urine*; D008593:Menopause; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D011276:Pregnanediol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000652:urine; D013045:Species Specificity
D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; C022270:pregnanediol-3 alpha-glucuronide; D004970:Estrone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D011276:Pregnanediol