COMPARISON OF THE STIMULATORY EFFECTS OF OVINE, PORCINE AND HUMAN FOLLICLE-STIMULATING HORMONE AND OF OVINE AND HUMAN LUTEINIZING HORMONE ON THE ACCUMULATION OF CYCLIC AMP BY PORCINE GRANULOSA CELLS

Abstract

The effects of ovine, porcine and human FSH, and ovine and human LH on the accumulation of cyclic AMP by porcine granulosa cells obtained from follicles at various stages of maturation were investigated. During incubation periods of 15 min, 10 micrograms ovine FSH pretreated with antiserum to LH or 10 micrograms human FSH resulted in an 11- to 18-fold, five- to ninefold, and less than a twofold increase in intracellular accumulation of cyclic AMP by granulosa cells from small (1--2 mm), medium (3--5 mm) and large (6--12 mm) follicles respectively. Similar patterns of response occurred with addition of porcine FSH. After incubation for 30 and 60 min with ovine, porcine or human FSH, significant accumulation of cyclic AMP in the incubation medium occurred with cells obtained from small and medium-sized follicles. After 60 min of incubation with FSH the accumulation of cyclic AMP in the incubation medium exceeded the intracellular cyclic AMP levels in granulosa cells from small and medium-sized follicles. During incubation periods of 15 min, 1.0 micrograms ovine LH resulted in less than a twofold, a fourfold and greater than a tenfold increase in intracellular accumulation of cyclic AMP by granulosa cells from small, medium and large follicles respectively. Addition of human LH brought about a similar response. Incubation periods of 30 and 60 min with 1.0 micrograms ovine or human LH resulted in significant accumulation of cyclic AMP in the incubation medium by granulosa cells from large follicles; cyclic AMP content in the incubation medium was greater after 60 min compared with 30 min of incubation. It was concluded that ovine FSH pretreated with an antiserum to LH had similar effects on cyclic AMP levels as did purified human and porcine FSH, and that the stimulatory effects of the less pure ovine FSH were probably not due to an impurity in the FSH preparation. Porcine granulosa cells obtained from small follicles should be suitable as an in-vitro FSH bioassay while granulosa cells obtained from large follicles should be suitable as an in-vitro LH bioassay.