Inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis potentiates apoptosis in the rabbit corpus luteum.
To determine if nitric oxide (NO) plays a role in corpus luteum (CL) physiology by affecting progesterone secretion or luteal apoptosis, an in-vitro pseudopregnant rabbit ovarian perfusion system was used to measure the effects of an inhibitor of NO synthesis, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), on progesterone secretion and corpus luteal apoptosis as measured by internucleosomal DNA breakdown. Pseudopregnant rabbit ovaries perfused in vitro with L-NAME did not demonstrate any significant differences compared with control ovaries in progesterone secretion. However, apoptosis, as measured by internucleosomal breakdown, was significantly increased in L-NAME-perfused CL compared with controls. While NO does not appear to directly affect progesterone secretion, there does appear to be a role for NO in CL maintenance, or a role for inhibition of NO production in CL regression.
Preutthipan
S
S
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Chen
S H
SH
Tilly
J L
JL
Kugu
K
K
Lareu
R R
RR
Dharmarajan
A M
AM
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D004586:Electrophoresis; D005260:Female; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D011817:Rabbits
D011374:Progesterone; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester