In vitro effects of inhibin on apoptosis and apoptosis related proteins in human ovarian granulosa cells.

Objective: To clarify the in vitro effects of inhibin A (I) on apoptotic cell death and its mechanisms in ovarian granulosa cells the immunoexpression patterns of the apoptosis markers caspase-3 and pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins (Bcl-2, Bcl-xl, Bak) were evaluated in ovarian granulosa cells collected from women with different hormonal status.

Materials And Methods: Granulosa cells were isolated from follicles of women participating in an in vitro fertilization (IVF) program, normally cyclic (NC) and premenopausal women (PrM). The obtained cells were cultured for 72 h with inhibin A (Sigma, USA)--10 ng/ml.

Involvement of prostanoids in the inhibitory effect of endothelin-1 on progesterone production of ovarian granulosa cells.

The present study was undertaken to investigate the possible involvement of prostanoids in the inhibitory effect of endothelin-1 (ET-1) on progesterone production of ovarian granulosa cells. ET-1 (1 x 10(-7) M) decreased the basal and follicle-stimulating hormone- (FSH) stimulated progesterone production from both human and porcine granulosa cells. Indomethacin dose-dependently inhibited progesterone release, but did not alter the inhibitory effect of ET-1 (1 x 10(-7) M) on progesterone production of cultured ovarian granulosa cells.

Potential role of nitric oxide in endothelin-1 provoked inhibition of progesterone secretion by isolated ovarian granulosa cells.

Objective: Nitric oxide (NO) is involved in different cell functions including ovarian steroid production. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) was found to regulate the steroidogenesis in ovarian granulosa cells (GC). The present study was designed to receive more information about the mechanism of action of NO in the process of ET-1 induced progesterone (P) inhibition, using nicotine amide dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d) histochemistry as a cofactor of oxidoreductase enzymes (e.

Modulation of steroidogenesis in human ovarian granulosa cells during aging.

Objective: To investigate the in vitro effect of endothelin-1 (ET-1) on the steroid production (progesterone [P] and estradiol [E2]) by cultured human granulosa cells (GCs) during aging.

Material And Methods: Human ovarian GCs and granulosa-luteal cells (GLCs) were isolated from ovaries of female patients (young and premenopausal) undergoing surgery for non-ovarian benign gynecological conditions. Cells were cultured with ET-1 in the presence or in the absence of FSH.