Increase of progesterone production in human and rat luteal cells by beta-adrenergic stimulation.
The effects of the beta 2-adrenergic agonist hexoprenaline were studied on the progesterone production of rat and human corpora lutea and compared to hCG-induced hormone production. Human corpora lutea were obtained from healthy patients, rat corpora lutea were harvested on day 6 of pseudopregnancy. Corpora lutea were digested by trypsin and homogeneous luteal cell suspension (6 X 10(5) cells/ml) was incubated for 2 h. Hexoprenaline and hCG were added to the medium and progesterone production was measured by RIA. Hexoprenaline or hCG dose-dependently increased the progesterone production of rat luteal cells and of human cells in mid- and late luteal phase. Moreover, hexoprenaline further increased the hCG-induced hormone production. The stimulatory effect of hexoprenaline could be prevented by propranolol. It is supposed that beta 2-adrenergic stimulation induces an increase in progesterone production of luteal cells and potentiates the effects of gonadotropic hormones.
D000818:Animals; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006594:Hexoprenaline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008183:Luteal Phase; D010627:Phenethylamines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D011433:Propranolol / Q000494:pharmacology; D011555:Pseudopregnancy / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D010627:Phenethylamines; D011374:Progesterone; D011433:Propranolol; D006594:Hexoprenaline