The effect of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate on de novo and low-density lipoprotein-stimulated progesterone secretion by human choriocarcinoma JEG-3 cells

Abstract

It has been suggested that fetal adrenal steroids affect the secretion of progesterone by the human trophoblast and decrease the progesterone/estrogen secretory ratio at the time of parturition. In the present study, cultured human choriocarcinoma JEG-3 cells were used as an experimental model in order to examine the effect of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate on both de novo and low-density lipoproteinstimulated progesterone secretion. In serum-free and cholesterol-free Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium, JEG-3 cell cultures demonstrated a significant secretion of both pregnenolone and progesterone. A 200% to 300% increase in pregnenolone and progesterone secretion was achieved by physiologic lowdensity lipoprotein concentrations added to Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium while androgens and estrogens remained undetectable. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate added to Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium was actively converted into C-19 and C-18 steroids but had no significant effect (up to 20 pg/ml) on basal (de novo) progesterone secretion. In contrast, the addition of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (1 to 5 pg/ml) to cultures grown in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium plus low-density lipoprotein induced a dose-related inhibition of progesterone and a return of that secretion to basal levels. (AM J OBSTET GYNECOL 1986;154:1g80-5.)