ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of estradiol (E(2)) and progesterone (P) on macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) production by human luteinized granulosa cells in vitro. METHODS: Human luteinized granulosa cells were isolated from follicular fluid of superovulated infertile patients undergoing intracytoplasmatic sperm injection (ICSI). Luteinized granulosa cells were cultured with HAM's F-10 medium with various concentrations of E(2) or P (0, 1 x 10(-7), 1 x 10(-6), 1 x 10(-5), 1 x 10(-4), 1 x 10(-3) mol/L). Media were removed at 72 h after culture. M-CSF in media was measured by a solid phase enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) and estradiol and progesterone in media were measured by enzyme immunoassays (EIA). RESULTS: The basic concentration of M-CSF in cultivated granulosa cells without E(2) stimulation was low (47 +/- 15 ng/L). However, E(2) at concentrations of 1 x 10(-6) - 1 x 10(-3) mol/L caused a significant increase of M-CSF secretion by luteinized granulosa cells in a dose-dependent mode (2.3, 4.5, 6.9, 7.9 times higher than the basic level, respectively) (P < 0.05). E(2) at a concentration of 1 x 10(-7) mol/L, however, did not stimulate the production of M-CSF (P > 0.05). P at concentrations of 1 x 10(-7) - 1 x 10(-3) mol/L showed no effect on M-CSF production by luteinized granulosa cells (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Estradiol can stimulate M-CSF production by luteinized granulosa cells in vitro in a dose-dependent mode, on the other hand P cannot induce M-CSF production by luteinized granulosa cells. The mechanism of estradiol regulating follicular development may partially via M-CSF/receptor pathway.
