Secretion of progesterone and prostaglandins by cells of bovine corpora lutea from three stages of the luteal phase.

The secretion of prostaglandins (PGs) by bovine corpora lutea was investigated. Corpora lutea from the early, early-mid and late-mid stages of the luteal phase were dissociated by collagenase treatment and cultured in monolayer in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium containing 10% (v/v) fetal calf serum. Treatment with either LH (100 ng/ml) or dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP; 1 mmol/l) had no effect on progesterone secretion by early luteal phase cells but stimulated progesterone secretion two- to fourfold by cells from the latter stages. The secretion rates, per microgram cell protein, of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, PGE2 and PGF2 alpha were substantially greater in cells from the early luteal phase than in those from the latter stages, however, all changes in PG secretion in response to treatments were qualitatively similar between cells from the three stages of the luteal phase. The secretion rate of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha was greater than that of PGE2 or PGF2 alpha and was inhibited by treatment with indomethacin (28 mumol/l) but unaltered by treatment with LH, dbcAMP or butyrate (1 mmol/l). Secretion of PGE2 was inhibited by indomethacin but stimulated two- to threefold by treatment with either dbcAMP or butyrate. Secretion of PGF2 alpha was minimal and not inhibited further by treatment with indomethacin, but was stimulated 10- to 40-fold with dbcAMP. Indomethacin treatment inhibited the stimulatory effect of dbcAMP; butyrate had no effect on PGF2 alpha secretion. Treatment with LH had no effect on any of the PGs measured. In these experiments the secretion of progesterone appeared unrelated to any changes in the secretion of PGs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)