R. Asakai et al., A NOVEL STEROIDOGENIC ROLE OF SURAMIN-BLOCKED LUTEAL CELL-GROWTH FACTORS, Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine, 168(2), 1992, pp. 283-286
Growth factors synthesized in the ovarian corpus luteum (CL) have been
implicated in the development of the CL. One of these growth factors
is basic fibroblast growth factor which acts on luteal cells in an aut
ocrine manner (Tamura et al. 1991 ; Asakai et al. 1992). To elucidate
effects of these growth factors in the development of the CL, we cultu
red immature luteal cells with. defined medium for a week in the prese
nse or absence of a growth factor inhibitor, and measured progesterone
in the medium as an indicator of cell differentiation. Culture of lut
eal cells showed an increased amount of progesterone for three days an
d continued to synthesize progesterone for at least another four days
without serum and pituitary hormones. The addition of suramin, previou
sly reported to inhibit autocrine growth stimulation, accelerate the d
aily progesterone production of luteal cells apparently by switching o
n the early onset of differentiation. Suramin also induced apoptosis o
f the cells after the 3rd day of culture. These data suggest that an a
utostimulation mechanism by growth factors plays a physiological role
on normal cell differentiation, and it is not limited to neoplastic au
totransformation.