title: Endothelin-1: expression and role in human corpus luteum.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Several recent data suggest an involvement of endothelin (ET)-1, a powerful vasoconstrictor peptide, in reproductive function. This study was designed to investigate the presence and role of ET-1 in human corpus luteum.
  
  
  METHODS
  Purified luteal cells were incubated for different times with ET-1 or ET-3 alone or associated with human chorionic gonadotropin. In another set of experiments cells were treated with ET-1 and BQ485, an ET-A receptor antagonist, or with phorbol 12-myristate-13 acetate (PMA), an activator of protein kinase C.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ET-1 reduced both basal and human chorionic gonadotropin-induced progesterone production at all examined times, similarly PMA inhibited basal progesterone synthesis. BQ485 prevented the inhibitory effect of ET-1, while no effect was observed with ET-3. Finally, ET-1 mRNA was detected in the luteal cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ET-1 is expressed by human luteal cells and reduces basal and human chorionic gonadotropin-induced progesterone synthesis through the ET-A receptors and the protein kinase C pathway. Conversely, ET-3 does not affect luteal steroidogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Università Cattolica S.Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Apa
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Miceli
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Feo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pierro
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ayala
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mancuso
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Napolitano
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lanzone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001381:Azepines / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D065128:Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D019334:Endothelin-3 / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D011374:Progesterone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D044022:Receptor, Endothelin A; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001381:Azepines; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D065128:Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; D019332:Endothelin-1; D019334:Endothelin-3; D009842:Oligopeptides; D044022:Receptor, Endothelin A; C083116:BQ 485; D011374:Progesterone; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate