THYROID-HORMONES IN HUMAN FOLLICULAR-FLUID AND THYROID-HORMONE RECEPTORS IN HUMAN GRANULOSA-CELLS

Objective: To demonstrate the presence of thyroid hormone in human fol licular fluid (FF) and the binding of antithyroid hormone antibodies i n human granulosa cells (GCs). Design: Follicular fluid and GCs collec ted from women undergoing oocyte retrieval after superovulation. Setti ng: In Vitro Fertilization-America/Allegheny General Hospital and Repr oductive Sciences Research Laboratories, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Medical College of Pennsylvania/Allegheny Campus. Main Outcome Measures: Follicular fluid levels of triiodothyronine (T3 ) determined by a microparticle enzyme immunoassay and FF levels of th yroxine (T4) determined by a fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Th ree anti-thyroid receptor antibodies were used to determine the presen ce of thyroid receptor. The binding of these antibodies in GCs was ass essed by fluorescent microscopy and flow cytometry. Results: Both T3 a nd T4 were present in the FF of eight patients studied. A large majori ty of the samples of individual fluids fell within the normal range fo r serum. There was a positive correlation between serum T4 values and FF T4 values. The three antithyroid receptor antibodies showed positiv e nuclear staining of GCs by fluorescent microscopy. The antibody to a ll thyroid hormone receptors yielded 35% positive cells by flow cytome try, and the site specific antibody for either the alpha-1 or beta-1 r eceptors yielded 78% and 44% positive cells, respectively. Conclusion: These data demonstrated, for the first time, the presence of T3 and T 4 in human FF and the presence of T3 binding sites in human GCs and su ggest a role for thyroid hormone in the regulation of human GCs.