ANDROGENIC MODULATION OF PROGESTERONE METABOLISM BY RAT GRANULOSA CELLS IN CULTURE

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0039-128X(83)90043-0

Effects of androgens on progesterone accumulation, utilization of exogenous progesterone and accumulation of <4-14C>progesterone metabolites by rat granulosa cells in culture were studied.Androgen increased progesterone accumulation in cultures without exogenous progesterone and slowed the overall decline of progesterone concentration in cultures supplemented with exogenous progesterone.Both aromatizable testosterone and nonaromatizable 5α-dihydrotestosterone decreased <4-14C>progesterone utilization by granulosa cells by 12 to 30percent.This effect was observed irrespective of whether the cells were continuously exposed to androgens or only pre-exposed.In the same experiments, androgens decreased conversion of radiolabeled progesterone to 20α-hydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one by 11 to 50percent and to 5α-pregnane-3α,20α-diol by 26 to 49percent.Accumulation of 3α-hydroxy-5α-pregnan-20-one was not altered in 3 h incubations and was increased by up to 43percent in 24 h incubations by androgen treatment.It is suggested that androgens alter progesterone catabolism by granulosa cells by decreasing 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity and that this effect may contribute to overall stimulatory action of androgens on progesterone accumulation.