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Biomedical subjects

G F Erickson

Publications and source records attributed to G F Erickson.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

In vitro heteroregulation of LH receptors by prolactin and FSH in rat granulosa cells.

The purpose of the present study was to further characterize the regulation of LH/hCG receptors by FSH in granulosa cells and test the hypothesis that the LH/hCG receptor levels are heteroregulated by PRL. Granulosa cells from immature hypophysectomized, DES-treated rats were cultured for 2-4 days in defined medium containing androstenedione (10(-7) M) and/or FSH and PRL, after which [125I]iodo-hCG binding to the granulosa cells was measured. When granulosa cells were cultured for 2 days (days 0-2) with increasing concentrations of FSH (0.1-100 ng/ml), there was a dose related increase in [125I]iode-hCG binding from a control value of 1.05 +/- 0.2 fmoles/10(6) cells to a maximum of 20 +/- 1.8 fmoles/10(6) cells. The miminum, half-maximum (ED50) and maximum doses of FSH were 0.3, 0.5 and 3 ng/ml, respectively. At concentrations of FSH greater than 3 ng/ml there was a progressive decrease in [125I]-iodo-hCG binding to a low value of 6.1 +/- 1 fmoles/10(6) cells at 100 ng/ml of FSH. No changes in [125I]iodo-hCG binding were observed in response to PRL (1 microgram/ml) during the day 0-2 incubation. When granulosa cells were stimulated for 2 days with 20 ng/ml of FSH, washed, and then recultured for another 2 days (days 2-4) with FSH, the LH/hCG receptor content remained high (F leads to F = 17.4 +/- 2.8 fmoles/10(6) cells). In contrast, when FSH-primed cells were recultured for 2 days without FSH, the [125I]iodo-hCG binding decreased sharply to near control levels (F leads to C = 2.5 +/- 0.2 fmoles/10(6) cells). This marked loss of LH/hCG receptors was largely prevented when FSH primed cells were recultured with PRL (F leads to P = 10.3 +/- 1.5 fmoles/10(6) cells). This stimulatory effect of PRL on [125I]iodo-hCG binding was dose-dependent: minimum, ED50, and maximum doses of PRL were 0.2, 0.5 and 1 microgram/ml, respectively. Scatchard-plot analysis revealed that although the dissociation constant (Kd) of the LH/hCG receptors stimulated by FSH and PRL were of similar high affinity (approximately 8 x 10(-11) M), the maximum binding (Bmax) values in the PRL-treated cells were less. Addition of 10(-7) estradiol together with the PRL did not cause a further increase in Bmax values above that observed with PRL alone.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

LH stimulation of estrogen secretion by cultured rat granulosa cells.

The direct effect of LH on estrogen secretion by rat granulosa cells was investigated. Ovarian granulosa cells from immature hypophysectomized diethylstilbestrol-treated rats were primed with FSH for 2 days in vitro to induce LH receptors. After the FSH priming, the granulosa cells were washed, and recultured for 4 additional days in media containing aromatase substrate (10(-7) M androstenedione) and purified FSH or LH. After the incubations, estrogen (E), progesterone (P) and 20 alpha-dihydroprogesterone (20 alpha-OH-P) in the media were measured by RIA. When granulosa cells from hypophysectomized DES-treated rats were cultured for 6 days with FSH and androstenedione, the production of E, P and 20 alpha-OH-P was stimulated to a maximum of 100-, 200- and 270-fold, respectively, above that of control levels. In contrast, LH did not increase steroidogenesis in these cells. Following 2 days of FSH priming in vitro, however, the cultured granulosa cells exhibited marked increases (400-600%) in E, P and 20 alpha-OH-P production in response to LH treatment over a 4-day incubation period. This stimulatory effect of LH on estrogen and progestin production was dose-related; the minimum and maximum effective doses of LH for steroid production were 3 and 30 ng/ml, respectively, and the ED50 was calculated to be 6 ng/ml of LH. As with LH, FSH also stimulated steroidogenesis in a dose-related manner and the apparent ED50 of FSH on steroidogenesis was 45 ng/ml. To investigate whether LH can also stimulate aromatase activity in granulosa cells primed with FSH in vivo, immature hypophysectomized DES-treated rats were injected for 2 days with FSH after which the granulosa cells were isolated and cultured for 4 days in medium containing 10(-7) M androstenedione and LH or FSH. Both LH and FSH stimulated E, P and 20 alpha-OH-P production, and the maximum steroidogenic responses of LH and FSH were similar to those observed in cultured granulosa cells primed with FSH in vitro. THese results have demonstrated that LH is effective in stimulating both estrogen and progestin secretion in rat granulosa cells pretreated with FSH. This suggests an important role of LH in the direct control of both aromatization and luteinization in the granulosa cell.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

The hormonal basis of reproductive defects in athymic mice: diminished gonadotropin concentrations in prepubertal females.

Congenitally nude athymic female mice are known to have severe deficiencies in reproductive function, including reduced ovarian weight, increased follicular atresia, decreased fertility, and premature ovarian failure, in comparison to their phenotypically normal heterozygous littermates. To determine the hormonal basis for these reproductive defects, pituitary and circulating concentrations of gonadotropins and circulating levels of gonadal steroids were quantitated in 132 congenitally athymic mice and 126 of their normal heterozygous littermates, ranging in age from 1-120 days. Although prepubertal increases in both circulating LH and FSH, which were maximal at 10 days of age, were observed in both athymic and heterozygous females, the concentrations were reduced significantly in the athymic animals (P less than 0.01). Dramatic increases in the pituitary concentrations of both LH and FSH followed at 20 days, with the concentrations in heterozygotes being 3-fold greater than those in the athymic mice (P less than 0.01 for LH; P less than 0.001 for FSH). These abnormalities in pituitary gonadotropin concentrations in the athymic mice were followed by a 2- to 3-fold reduction in the secretion of estrone but not estradiol in athymic females 30 days and older. Serum androgen levels were also reduced. From these data we infer that the reduced gonadotropin concentrations observed in the athymic animals are responsible for their increased follicular atresia and premature ovarian failure and that the thymus gland appears to be essential for normal development of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Mechanism by which 17 beta-estradiol inhibits ovarian androgen production in the rat.

The mechanism by which 17 beta-estradiol inhibits ovarian androgen biosynthesis was investigated. Immature 25-day-old rats were treated for 2 days with estradiol, after which whole ovaries were dispersed, and gonadotropin binding and cAMP and steroid hormone production were examined. When dispersed cells from untreated control ovaries were incubated with hCG (100 ng/ml), there were marked increases (10-fold) in steroid production, with the major steroids being progesterone and androstenedione. The stimulation of steroidogenesis by hCG was dose-related (ED50 = 100 pg/ml hCG). After 2 days of estradiol treatment, the maximum hCG stimulation of androstenedione, testosterone, 17 alpha-hydroxypregnenolone, and 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone production by ovarian cells was inhibited by 90%; pregnenolone production was unchanged, while progesterone production was increased by 30%. Time course studies showed that the stimulatory effect of hCG on androgen production was maximally inhibited (90%) after 12 h of estradiol treatment. Implanting miniestradiol capsules unilaterally under the ovarian bursa caused a 77% decrease in the hCG stimulation of androgen production by the estradiol-treated cells, while progesterone production was unchanged. hCG-stimulated steroidogenesis in the contralateral ovary was not altered. Estradiol treatment did not affect the binding capacity, the hCG stimulation of cAMP production, or the number of steroid-producing cells in the ovaries. It is concluded from these experiments that exogenous estradiol acts directly on the rat ovary to abolish the hCG stimulation of androgen production by rapidly inhibiting 17 alpha-hydroxylation.

3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗
PubMed1981

Long term primary monolayer culture of adult murine magnocellular neurons.

Primary monolayer culture of adult murine hypothalamic cells has been carried out for 2 months. Neuron-like cells as well as fibroblast, glial, and ependymal-like cells demonstrated characteristic morphological features which distinguished them from one another. In addition, immunocytochemical identification of cytoplasmic substances cross-reactive with neurophysin and (8-arginine)vasopressin further characterized specific magnocellular neuronal populations throughout the culture period. This culture system should provide a basis for studying neurosecretion at the cellular and molecular levels.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Direct inhibitory effect of GnRH on androgen secretion by ovarian interstitial cells.

We report here 1) that GnRH and a potent GnRH agonist inhibit basal and LH stimulated ovarian androgen biosynthesis in vitro, 2) that the inhibitory effects of GnRH are dose-dependent and completely inhibited by concomitant treatment with a GnRH antagonist and 3) that the GnRH action is very rapid (t1/2 = 10 min) and persists after thorough washing of the cells. These data suggest that GnRH acts at a stereospecific binding site on ovarian theca and/or interstitial cells (probably the theca cells) to rapidly and perhaps irreversibly inhibit androgen biosynthesis.

Androgens↗
PubMed1980

Serum suppresses the expression of hormonally induced functions in cultured granulosa cells.

Growth and function of primary cultures of granulosa cells obtained from immature, hypophysectomized, estrogen-treated rats were compared in serum-containing and serum-free media. In serum-free medium (1:1 mixture of DMEM:F-12) supplemented with insulin, hydrocortisone, transferrin and fibronectin (4F medium), the cells remained healthy and steroidogenically responsive for at least 60 days in culture. The growth profile of the granulosa cells in 4F medium was similar to that obtained in serum-containing medium. In both media cell proliferation did not exceed more than one cell doubling. DMEM:F-12 alone did not support the cell viability. Upon FSH stimulation, the cells produced 25 fold more progestin and estrogen per cell in 4F medium than in medium supplemented with 5% serum. This effect was not directly related to serum proteins which mediate cell adhesion since cells cultured in dishes precoated with serum remained steroidogenically responsive to FSH. Cholera toxin and Bt2-cAMP readily stimulated progestin production in the presence of serum. The inhibitory effect of serum was not reversed by adding the four factors to serum-containing medium. The factors were essential for the FSH-induced steroidogenesis in serum-free medium. After four days of incubation in 4F medium, the cells showed a transient loss of their ability to produce progestin in response to FSH. In both 4F medium as well as in serum-containing medium, the cells regained their hormonal responsiveness after 35 days in culture. Since the loss of hormonal responsiveness occurred at the same time as growth was initiated in the cultures, it is suggested that the FSH-induced steroidogenesis is negatively controlled by growth-related processes.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Progestins inhibit FSH-stimulated steroidogenesis in cultured rat granulosa cells.

It has been hypothesized that progesterone (P) exerts a direct inhibitory effect on ovarian follicular development, an effect which could be mediated by P receptors located in granulosa cells. We tested this hypothesis by examining the effect of several progestins on FSH-stimulated estrogen (E), P, and 20 alpha-dihydroprogesterone (DHP) production by cultured rat granulosa cells, and correlated the results with the ability of the progestins to bind to the granulosa cell P receptor. Granulosa cells from immature hypophysectomized DES-treated rat produced 9 ng/ml E, 21 ng/ml P and 29 ng/ml DHP during a 2-day incubation in McCoy's 5a medium containing 10(-7) M androstenedione and 10 ng/ml of FSH. The FSH-induced increase in E production was inhibited by 50 and 95% following concomitant treatment with 3 x 10(-6) and 10(-5) M resp. of R5020, a potent synthetic progestin. Added R5020 at these concentrations also significantly inhibited P and DHP production. R5020 had no effect on granulosa cell viability or plating efficiency, and the inhibitory action of R50920 on E production was reversible. In studies of the specificity of the progestin inhibitory action, the relative abilities of various progestins to inhibit E production were R5020 > P > DHP > 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP). The relative abilities of these progestins to bind to the ovary P receptor were also: R5020 > P > DHP > 17OHP. These results indicate that exogenous progestins directly inhibit the FSH-stimulation of granulosa cell steroidogenesis in vitro and suggest that the progestin effect may be mediated by the P receptor. Such results offer a possible mechanism whereby progesterone could exert a direct but reversible inhibitory action on ovarian follicular development.

20-alpha-Dihydroprogesterone↗
PubMed1980

Prolactin inhibition of estrogen production by cultured rat granulosa cells.

The effect of prolactin (PRL) treatment on estrogen production by rat granulosa cells was investigated in vitro. Immature, hypophysectomized, DES-treated rats were injected for 2 days with FSH to induce aromatase enzymes and receptors for PRL and LH. After FSH priming, the granulosa cells were cultured for 4 days in serum-free medium containing 10(-7) M androstenedione and purified FSH, LH and/or PRL. A dose-related inhibition of estrogen production from control cells was observed following PRL treatment in which 1 micrograms/ml of PRL inhibited estrogen formation by > 90%. In these same cultures, PRL caused a dose-related increase in progesterone and 20 alpha-dihydroprogesterone secretion. Treatment with purified FSH or LH stimulated estrogen synthesis by 3-10-fold. Concomitant treatment with PRL suppressed the FSH- and LH-induced increases in estrogen production in a dose-dependent manner; 1 micrograms/ml PRL suppressed estrogen production by > 80% during days 2-4 of culture. In these same cultures, PRL did not alter the stimulatory effects of FSH and LH on progesterone and 20 alpha-dihydroprogesterone production. These experiments demonstrate that PRL acts directly on rat granulosa cells in vitro to suppress basal and gonadotropin-induced increases in estrogen production.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Extrapituitary action of gonadotropin-releasing hormone: direct inhibition ovarian steroidogenesis.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and its agonistic analogs inhibited the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-induced increase of estrogen and progesterone production in vitro by rat ovarian granulosa cells. Likewise, GnRH analogs inhibited FSH-induced changes in ovarian function in hypophysectomized rats in vivo. These results indicate that GnRH, in addition to its well-known gonadotropin-releasing action in the pituitary, exerts a direct inhibition of ovarian steroidogenesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Endocrine studies of normal and polycystic ovarian tissues in vitro.

The purpose of this study was to compare the steroidogenic potential of the granulosa, theca, and medullary tissues from polycystic and normal ovaries. These ovarian endocrine compartments were isolated from appropriate ovaries and were cultured in vitro for three days in the absence (control) and presence of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)/luteinizing hormone (LH) (1 lU/ml), N6,O2-dibutyryladenosine-3':5''-cyclic monophosphoric acid (Bu2cAMP) (10(-2)M), and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) (1.3 U/ml). After the incubation, steroids in the media were measured by radioimmunoassay. Granulosa cells (10(5) cells per dish) from 4 to 7 mm follicles of normal and polycystic ovaries secreted progesterone spontaneously during the culture period and the production of progesterone was markedly stimulated (between tenfold and thirtyfold) by gonadotropins and Bu2cAMP but not by ACTH. Little, if any, androgen (androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, and testosterone) or estrogen (estrone and estradiol) accumulated in the media of any granulosa cell culture. The control cultures of theca tissue from normal and polycystic ovaries secreted large amounts of androstenedione and progesterone and the production of these steroids by normal and polycystic ovary theca was stimulated in most cases by LH/FSH and Bu2cAMP but not by ACTH. Both normal and polycystic ovary theca secreted some testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone but little, if any, estrone or estradiol accumulated in any theca culture. The medullary tissue of normal and polycystic ovaries produced only trace amounts of steroids in vitro except for the results from one polycystic ovary with hyperthecosis in which case significant quantities of C19 and C18 steroids were secreted. These experiments have demonstrated that isolated granulosa and theca cells from midantral follicles of normal and polycystic ovaries have a similar capacity to secrete C21 and C19 steroids in the absence and presence of trophic agents. Therefore, it seems probable that chronic anovulation in patients with polycystic ovaries is not caused by an obvious deficiency in the de novo steroidogenic potential of the multiple midantral follicles of the polycystic ovaries or by the absence of gonadotropin receptors on the polycystic ovary follicular cells.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗