Evidence for ovarian "inhibin": suppression of the secondary rise in serum follicle stimulating hormone levels in proestrous rats by injection of porcine follicular fluid.

The present studies were carried out to see if porcine follicular fluid could inhibit increases in serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels when injected into the rat. For these studies the pentobarbital-treated proestrous rat was chosen as the major test animal model. If an artificial surge of luteinizing hormone (LH) is administered to these rats, it can induce a synchronized secondary rise in FSH secretion rate. Normal saline-treated rats were also used as test animals. They exhibit preovulatory endogenous "surges" of LH and FSH, and also a secondary FSH rise. Porcine follicular fluid was harvested from medium-sized and large (3- to 10-mm diameter) follicles and treated with charcoal to remove endogenous steroids. Charcoal-treated porcine serum served as a control solution. The fluid was injected intraperitoneally in two 0.5-ml doses into pentobarbital-treated proestrous rats immediately and 3 hr after LH injection. Follicular fluid, but not the serum, suppressed the secondary, LH-induced FSH rise (P < 0.01) in a dose-dependent manner, without altering the effects of LH upon serum ovarian steroid levels or follicular rupture. It was effective down to a total dose of 200 mul. Porcine follicular fluid also blocked the secondary FSH surge in normal proestrous rats exhibiting endogenous LH/FSH primary surges. Thus, it would appear that porcine follicular fluid contains a non-steroidal substance(s) that can block the secretion of FSH that is secondary to a natural or artificial LH surge.