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Ethanol Has Direct Inhibitory Effects on Steroidogenesis in Human Granulosa Cells: Specific Inhibition of LH Action
Author(s) -
Saxena Sandhya,
Meehan Daniel,
Coney Ponjola,
Wimalasena Jayantha
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1990.tb01192.x
Subject(s) - androstenedione , corpus luteum , medicine , endocrinology , ethanol , in vitro , ovary , chemistry , gonadotropin , mechanism of action , testosterone (patch) , biology , hormone , biochemistry , androgen
We have evaluated the direct effects of ethanol (EtOH) on the production of progesterone (P) and estradiol‐17β (E 2 ) by cultured human granulosa cells obtained during in vitro fertilization procedures. On day 3 of culture, cells were divided into control and ethanol (20 m m ) groups and stimulated by hFSH (50 ng/ml), h lh (0–50 ng/ml), FSH+LH, 8 Br‐cAMP (0.25 m m ) and androstenedione (10 −7 M). Experiments were terminated on days 7 and 9 and DNA, P, and E 2 were measured. Ethanol inhibited P and E 2 secretion stimulated by LH; however, there was no significant effect of ethanol on P and E 2 production in the control group or when the cells were stimulated by FSH or cAMP. EtOH also had no effect on androstenedione stimulated E 2 production. There was no significant difference in the DNA contents of the human granulosa cells in the ethanol group as compared with the control group. These results are the first demonstration of a direct effect of ethanol on cultured granulosa‐lutein cells and suggest that ethanol may inhibit action of LH on the corpus luteum. A direct selective toxic effect of EtOH on the ovary may be responsible for some of the reproductive abnormalities observed in alcoholic women.