Possible actions of corticotropin-releasing hormone in regulating porcine corpus luteum function.
The objective of the present study was to determine whether corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) influences porcine corpus luteum function. The gene expressions of CRH receptors (CRH-R) were determined in the CLs of Chinese Meishan pigs during the estrous cycle. The effects of CRH on progesterone (P), estradiol-17β (E) and prostaglandin (PG) F(2α) secretion by cultured luteal cells were also investigated. Messenger RNAs of the CRH-R were clearly expressed in the CL throughout the estrous cycle, and the mRNA level was higher at the regressed stage than at the other stages (P<0.05). When the cultured luteal cells obtained from the mid-luteal stage CL (days 8-11) were exposed to CRH (50-5000 ng/ml), P secretion by the cells was significantly reduced at the highest dose (P<0.05), whereas CRH had no effect on E and PGF(2α) secretion by the cells. The overall results suggest that CRH inhibits local P production from luteal cells via its specific CRH-R, implying that CRH plays some roles in regulating porcine CL function during the estrous cycle, especially in the period of luteolysis.
Sakumoto
Ryosuke
R
Reproductive Biology Research Unit, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Ibaraki, Japan. sakumoto@affrc.go.jp
Ito
Shuichi
S
Komatsu
Tokushi
T
D000818:Animals; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000502:physiology*; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D017931:DNA Primers; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006706:Homeostasis; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D013552:Swine
D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012313:RNA; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D015237:Dinoprost