title: Regulation of inhibin/activin expression in rat early antral follicles.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to determine the endocrine activity of cultured early antral follicles (EAF) isolated from prepubertal diethylstilbestrol-treated rats. The effect of steroidogenic substrates and FSH on steroid, inhibin A and B, Pro-alphaC and activin A production was evaluated. Androsterone was the predominant steroid produced by EAF. The addition of androstenedione, androstenedione+FSH and progesterone stimulated oestradiol production, whereas 25-hydroxycholesterol (25-OH-Chol) increased progesterone production. Inhibin A, B, Pro-alphaC, and activin A were produced under basal conditions. The predominance of inhibin B over inhibin A was not affected by the addition of androstenedione or progesterone. Inhibin A and activin A production was stimulated by FSH. 25-OH-Chol increased Inha, Inhba and Inhbb mRNA expression and the production of the three molecular forms of inhibins but decreased activin A production. These results show that FSH and the steroid follicular microenvironment differentially modulate the gene expression of inhibin/activin subunits, their assembly and secretion.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas (CEDIE-CONICET), Hospital de Niños R. Gutiérrez, Gallo 1330, C1425EFD, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Luz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Andreone
authors.forename: Ethel V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Velásquez
authors.forename: Dalhia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Abramovich
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ambao
authors.forename: Nazareth
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Loreti
authors.forename: Horacio B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Croxatto
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Parborell
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tesone
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Campo
mesh_terms: D028341:Activins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000616:Aminoglutethimide / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006888:Hydroxycholesterols / Q000494:pharmacology; D007265:Inhibins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013256:Steroids / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D006888:Hydroxycholesterols; D011498:Protein Precursors; D021122:Protein Subunits; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013256:Steroids; C422405:activin A; C422362:inhibin A; C422364:inhibin B; C095971:inhibin-alpha subunit precursor; D000616:Aminoglutethimide; D028341:Activins; D007265:Inhibins; C007997:25-hydroxycholesterol; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone