GROWTH-REGULATED ALPHA-EXPRESSION IN HUMAN PREOVULATORY FOLLICLES ANDOVARIAN-CELLS

PROBLEM: Around the time of ovulation the number of neutrophils increa ses in the theca of the leading follicle. We hypothesized that growth- regulated alpha (GRO alpha), a neutrophil chemoattractant/activating f actor, may be a modulator of periovulatory neutrophil chemotaxis. METH OD: GRO alpha levels were measured in follicular fluids (n = 61). Gran ulosa-lutein and ovarian stromal cells were also cultured. After exper imental paradigms, GRO alpha mRNA was evaluated by Northern analysis, GRO alpha in follicular fluids, and culture supermatants were quantifi ed using ELISA. RESULTS: In follicular fluids the mean pre-human chori onic gonadotropin (hCG) GRO alpha level was 51 +/- 24 (+/-SEM) pg/ml, post-hCG it was 210 +/- 20 pg/ml (P = 0.04). GRO alpha was produced co nstitutively by ovarian stromal and granulosa-lutein cells. Interleuki n-alpha (IL-1 alpha) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) furth er stimulated GRO alpha production. Treatment of stromal cells with hC G also stimulated GRO alpha production. CONCLUSION: GRO alpha is a con stituent of periovulatory follicular fluid. Ovarian stromal and granul osa-lutein cells express the GRO alpha mRNA and produce the protein. T he regulation of GRO alpha by cytokines and hCG suggests that GRO alph a may play a role in the process of ovulation.