Abstract
Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and peptide histidine methionine (PHM) originate from the same precursor molecule, prepro VIP. In the present study we examined the concentrations of VIP and PHM in human follicular fluid and their effects on cultured human granulosa/lutein cells. Follicular fluid and cells were obtained from patients undergoing in-vitro fertilization for tubal infertility. The concentrations of VIP and PHM in pre-ovulatory human follicular fluid were measured radioimmunochemically. Granulosa/lutein cells isolated from follicular fluid were cultured under serum-free conditions with VIP and PHM in varying concentrations (0.1, 10, 1000 nmol/l). [3H]Thymidine incorporation in the cells and oestradiol as well as progesterone concentrations in the culture medium were measured. The mean (+/- SEM) concentrations of VIP and PHM were 6.8 +/- 0.1 and 7.7 +/- 0.8 pmol/l, respectively. VIP at a concentration of 10 nmol/l caused a significant increase in [3H]thymidine incorporation, and at 1000 nmol/l a significant increase in oestradiol secretion was observed. VIP had no effect on progesterone secretion. PHM at the concentrations tested did not influence any of the activities. We conclude that VIP and PHM are present in human preovulatory follicular fluid and that VIP stimulates DNA synthesis and oestradiol secretion in cultured human granulosa/lutein cells. This indicates that VIP and perhaps PHM participate in the local nervous regulation of human ovarian function.
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