Impact of gonadotrophins and steroid hormones on tumour cells derived from borderline ovarian tumours.
BACKGROUND
Conservative surgery is currently proposed for young patients with borderline ovarian tumours (BOT). For those experiencing infertility, the question of medically assisted procreation is raised. We have evaluated in vitro the proliferation of cultured BOT cells in response to FSH or estradiol (E(2)).


METHODS
Primary cell cultures were prepared from BOT. The presence of FSH and E(2) receptors was evaluated by immunochemistry. Cultures in vitro were stimulated with FSH (40 and 200 mUI/ml) or E(2) (300 and 2000 pg/ml) for 96 h and proliferation was evaluated with the WST-1 test.


RESULTS
Four primary cultures were obtained that expressed FSH and E(2) receptors to different extents. Growth was generally similar to controls when treated with either FSH or E(2) although 300 pg/ml E(2) caused a significant inhibitory effect on cell proliferation (P = 0.035).


CONCLUSIONS
No stimulatory effect of FSH or E(2) on cultured BOT cells was found, despite the presence of receptors. Although preliminary, these results suggest that gonadotrophins and E(2) could be used in patients experiencing infertility after conservative surgery.
Basille
Claire
C
Departement de Chirurgie, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.
Olivennes
François
F
Le Calvez
Josyane
J
Beron-Gaillard
Nadine
N
Meduri
Geri
G
Lhommé
Catherine
C
Duvillard
Pierre
P
Benard
Jean
J
Morice
Philippe
P
D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D011959:Receptors, Estradiol / Q000378:metabolism*; D011962:Receptors, FSH / Q000378:metabolism*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D006062:Gonadotropins; D011959:Receptors, Estradiol; D011962:Receptors, FSH; D004958:Estradiol; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone