Lead accumulation in human ovarian follicular fluid, and in vitro effect of lead on progesterone production by cultured human ovarian granulosa cells

Lead content of ovarian follicular fluid obtained from 23 women was determi ned by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. In an in vitro experiment the d irect effect of lead on the morphology and on progesterone (P) production b y cultured granulosa cells of six women was investigated. Follicular fluid and granulosa cells were obtained from follicular aspirates of women underg oing in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET). Granulosa cells were cultured for 48 h to form monolayers in the presence or absence of le ad acetate (100-1600 muM). The effect of the metal proved to be concentrati on dependent. While 100-400 muM lead had no effect on the integrity of the monolayer, concentrations as high as 800 muM or higher inhibited cell adhes ion and induced detachment of cells. The lead levels found in follicular fl uid were 11.29 +/- 1.38 mug/L (0.056 +/- 0.007 muM). With lead in vitro at 1600 muM (331.5 mg/L) there resulted a significant decrease in P production by granulosa cells. This concentration is very much higher than that measu red in follicular fluid of IVF/ET patients, specifically nonexposed to lead , and even higher than mean blood levels reported by others in high exposur e groups. In conclusion, lead seems not to exert a specific effect on the s teroidogenesis by cultured human granulosa cells. Therefore, the lead level s measured in the ovarian follicular fluid seem not to pose a hazard with r espect to progesterone secretion by the ovary.