A. Barreca et al., EFFECTS OF THE NEUROPEPTIDE-Y ON ESTRADIOL AND PROGESTERONE SECRETIONBY HUMAN GRANULOSA-CELLS IN CULTURE, Fertility and sterility, 70(2), 1998, pp. 320-325
Objective: To investigate the possible effects of neuropeptide Y on st
eroid release by human granulosa cells in culture. Design: Prospective
study. Setting: A university laboratory and the division of obstetric
s and gynecology in a hospital. Patient(s): Sixteen normally ovulating
women. Intervention(s): Ovulation induction for IVF-ET with an LH-rel
easing hormone analogue and gonodotropins. Main Outcome Measure(s): E-
2 and progesterone were assayed in the media conditioned by granulosa
cells with the use of a double-antibody RIA. Result(s): Neuropeptide Y
stimulates E-2 production in a dose-dependent fashion. Preincubation
For 3 hours with hCG led to a statistically significant increase in ne
uropeptide Y-induced E-2 secretion. In contrast, whereas 3 hours of pr
eincubation with 10(-7) mol/L of neuropeptide Y did not elicit a stati
stically significant increase in hCG-induced E-2 secretion, coincubati
on for 48 hours significantly increased hCG-stimulated secretion. Unli
ke E-2, progesterone secretion did not undergo any statistically signi
ficant or dose-dependent variation after treatment with neuropeptide Y
. Conclusion(s): Neuropeptide Y plays a role in human ovarian steroido
genesis directly at the level of the granulosa cells of the follicles
in the early stage of luteinization. In this way, neuropeptide Y could
play an important role in controlling the positive feedback effect ex
erted by the ovarian steroids on LH-releasing hormone and gonadotropin
s in humans. (Fertil Steril(R) 1998;70:320-5. (C) 1998 by American Soc
iety for Reproductive Medicine.).