Biochemical and biological properties of urinary follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta).

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is routinely used for the induction of superovulation in women. Homologous gonadotropin preparations that could be used for reproductive studies in macaques would have valuable research applications. Accordingly, we set out to characterize the physical and biological characteristics of urinary FSH (UFSH) in the ovariectomized rhesus monkey. In urine from 7 monkeys, concentrations of bioactive FSH ranged from 16 to 57 μg/1, relative to cynFSH-RPI (NIDDK). UFSH was contrasted to pituitary FSH (PFSH) by non-reducing SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), native disc PAGE, and FPLC chromatofocusing. The apparent molecular weights of UFSH and PFSH are similar (approximately 35 kD); however, UFSH is more negatively charged and demonstrates a lower overall isoelectric (pl) range than PFSH. The bioactivity of UFSH was assessed by the stimulation of aromatase activity in cultured Sertoli cells and by induction of follicular maturation in hamsters. Two fractions of pituitary FSH, which differed in isoelectric properties, were obtained by chromatofocusing. The in vivo biological activity of FSH-A (acidic, pl 3.8-4.6) and UFSH (pl 3.5-4.5) were similar, but greater than FSH-B (basic, pl 4.6-5.5). These results support the hypothesis that heavily sialylated, low pl FSH expresses high in vivo bioactivity. This may reflect the well-known effect of sialic acid in prolonging the circulating half-life of glycoproteins. Thus, the quality and quantity of FSH present in ovariectomized rhesus monkey urine indicates that this may be a useful source for the preparation of enriched hormone preparations. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.