Regulation of inhibin/activin expression in rat early antral follicles.
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.
Andreone
Luz
L
Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas (CEDIE-CONICET), Hospital de Niños R. Gutiérrez, Gallo 1330, C1425EFD, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Velásquez
Ethel V
EV
Abramovich
Dalhia
D
Ambao
Verónica
V
Loreti
Nazareth
N
Croxatto
Horacio B
HB
Parborell
Fernanda
F
Tesone
Marta
M
Campo
Stella
S
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
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