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Endocrinology, Vol 110, 1663-1671, Copyright © 1982 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Regulation of ovarian 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity by gonadotropin-releasing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone in cultured rat granulosa cells

PB Jones and AJ Hsueh

The mechanism by which gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) inhibits ovarian progesterone production was investigated by studying the GnRH modulation of 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3 beta-HSD)/delta 5- delta 4-isomerase activity in cultured rat granulosa cells. Ovarian granulosa cells, obtained from immature hypophysectomized estrogen- treated rats, were incubated with various hormones in vitro, and 3 beta- HSD activity was determined by measuring the conversion of radiolabeled pregnenolone to progesterone. Treatment with FSH increased the apparent maximal velocity of the enzyme by about 6-fold in a dose-dependent manner, with an ED50 value of 3.58 ng/ml. FSH treatment also resulted in an approximately 10-fold increase in the apparent Km of this enzyme (from 0.46 to 4.98 microM). In contrast, concomitant treatment with GnRH (10(-8) M) inhibited the FSH-stimulated increase in enzyme activity by about 27%. This inhibitory effect of GnRH was associated with a decrease in the apparent maximal velocity, while the apparent Km remained unchanged. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of GnRH was observed whether the enzyme activity was expressed per mg protein or per mg DNA. Concomitant treatment with 10(-6) M of a GnRH antagonist, [D-pGlu1,D-Phe2,D-Trp3,6]GnRH, completely blocked the inhibitory effect of GnRH. In contrast to the inhibitory effect of GnRH on FSH-stimulated 3 beta-HSD activity, treatment with GnRH alone increased enzyme activity by about 40%. This was accompanied by a slight but significant stimulation of basal progestin production by GnRH in granulosa cells. The present results coupled with the observed GnRH stimulation of 20 alpha-HSD activity reported earlier suggest that GnRH inhibits the FSH stimulation of progesterone production by decreasing the conversion of pregnenolone to progesterone as well as by increasing the metabolism of progesterone.


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T. El-Hefnawy and A. J. Zeleznik
Synergism Between FSH and Activin in the Regulation of Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) and Cyclin D2 Expression in Rat Granulosa Cells
Endocrinology, October 1, 2001; 142(10): 4357 - 4362.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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