Intra-ovarian factors, such as activin, are implicated in multiple aspects
of follicular development in mammalian ovaries. This study was conducted to
investigate a possible effect of activin-A on steroidogenesis in sheep gra
nulosa cells in vitro. Sheep granulosa cells were obtained from medium antr
al follicles and cultured in a chemically defined RPMI-1640. Oestradiol and
progesterone production, secreted by the cultured cells, was evaluated by
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In order to determine the dose effect of
activin-A on steroidogenesis, granulosa cells were cultured in the presenc
e of increasing concentrations of activin-A (0, 0.5, 5 and 50 ng ml(-1)) fo
r 48 hours. The results revealed that activin-A exerts a differential effec
t on steroidogenesis in granulosa cells in such a way that it significantly
(P < 0.05) suppressed progesterone production and enhanced oestradiol prod
uction. These results were confirmed by the time effect of activin-A on oes
tradiol and progesterone production in granulosa cells. In the absence of a
ctivin-A treatment, granulosa cells showed enhanced capacity to produce pro
gesterone, but not oestradiol, as the time progressed from 12 to 48 hours.
Treatment of sheep granulosa cells with 25 ng ml(-1) activin-A for 12, 24 a
nd 48 hours significantly stimulated oestradiol production but inhibited pr
ogesterone production. These results suggest that activin-A is a local regu
lator of sheep folliculogenesis that might act to support differentiation i
n granulosa cells and suppress luteinisation. (C) 2001 Harcourt Publishers
Ltd.