Modulation of steroidogenesis in human ovarian granulosa cells during aging.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the in vitro effect of endothelin-1 (ET-1) on the steroid production (progesterone [P] and estradiol [E2]) by cultured human granulosa cells (GCs) during aging.


METHODS
Human ovarian GCs and granulosa-luteal cells (GLCs) were isolated from ovaries of female patients (young and premenopausal) undergoing surgery for non-ovarian benign gynecological conditions. Cells were cultured with ET-1 in the presence or in the absence of FSH. The concentrations of P and E2 in conditioned media were determined by means of RIA.


RESULTS
In human GCs and GLCs obtained from young and premenopausal women, ET-1 in vitro can significantly reduce the FSH stimulated biosynthesis of P, whereas the basal P biosynthesis is only insignificantly diminished. The in vitro application of ET-1 have only a sparse inhibitory effect on both the basal and FSH stimulated biosynthesis of E2 in GCs from the two patient groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings support the opinion that ET-1 is a local regulator of ovarian steroidogenesis which might modulate the steroid production and the stimulatory effect of FSH in cultured GCs and GLCs obtained from women at various ages.
Denkova
R
R
Institute of Experimental Morphology and Antropology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria.
Bourneva
V
V
Baleva
K
K
Yaneva
E
E
Nikolov
B
B
Christov
I
I
Ivanov
I
I
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008184:Luteal Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D017697:Premenopause; D011374:Progesterone / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D019332:Endothelin-1; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone