The Morphological Transformation and Inhibition of Growth of Bovine Luteal Cells in Tissue Culture Induced by Luteinizing Hormone and Dibutyryl Cyclic AMP

Abstract

The luteal cells obtained from bovine corpus luteum by enzymatic treatment have been maintained in tissue culture. When the cells were maintained in the absence of luteinizing hormone or dibutyryl cyclic AMP, they grew parallel to one another and were elongated, thus giving to the culture a fibroblastic appearance. No contact inhibition was observed and the progestin secretion rate was low (3 pg per cell per day). In contrast, when luteinizing hormone or dibutyryl cyclic AMP was present, the cells became polygonal, growing as a monolayer and taking the appearance of epithelial cells. In this case contact inhibition was observed. The rate of progestin secretion was 250 pg per cell per day. As soon as luteinizing hormone or dibutyryl cyclic AMP was removed from the media, the cells reverted to a fibroblastic appearance. Agents such as colcemid, vinblastin or cytochalasin B inhibited the morphological effect of luteinizing hormone or dibutyryl cyclic AMP. Since those agents are known to inhibit the assembly of microtubules, the data suggest that LH and dibutyryl cyclic AMP act by promoting the organization of microtubules from protein monomers. This microtubular system (cytoskeleton) is responsible for the morphological appearance of the cells. Concomitant with the morphological changes induced by luteinizing hormone and dibutyryl cyclic AMP an inhibition in the growth rate of luteal cells was observed. It suggests that by raising the intracellular level of cyclic AMP the luteinizing hormone inhibits the division of luteal cells and is not, for that reason, a mitogenic agent. A similar effect was obtained with other agents known to stimulate cyclic AMP production such asthe prostaglandins. Steroids such as glucocorticoids and testosterone but not progesterone also inhibited the growth rate. It is concluded that luteinizing hormone by controlling the level of cyclic AMP within the luteal cells is responsible for the expression of the phenotype of the cells and the maintenance of differentiation.