Chemerin as a modulator of ovarian steroidogenesis in pigs: an in vitro study.

Chemerin has been shown to participate in the regulation of ovarian steroidogenesis in women, rats, mice and cows. Even though pigs are one of the most economically important livestock species, there is a general lack of data on the effects of chemerin in this species. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the in vitro effect of chemerin on basal and luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormone- and/or insulin-induced secretion of progesterone (P), androstenedione (A), testosterone (T), estrone (E) and estradiol (E) by the porcine ovarian cells during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy. Granulosa (G) and theca interna (Th) cells were collected from gilts during the follicular phase. Luteal cells (Lc) were harvested from pigs during the early-luteal, mid-luteal and late-luteal phases, as well as during the maternal recognition of pregnancy and beginning of implantation. Cells were preincubated for 24 h (G and Th) or 48 h (Lc) and subsequently incubated for 24 h with or without treatments. Then, the concentrations of steroid hormones in the culture media were determined by radioimmunoassay. The results were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance, followed by Duncan's post hoc test. The study demonstrated that chemerin exerts a modulatory effect on de novo synthesis of steroid hormones in pigs. Chemerin stimulated basal and/or induced secretion of P by the porcine Lc during the early-, mid- and late-luteal phases of the estrous cycle, as well as during both studied periods of early pregnancy. Further, chemerin caused an increase in the induced secretion of A, T and E by the porcine Lc during the maternal recognition of pregnancy. Moreover, chemerin inhibited induced secretion of E by the porcine Lc during the early-, mid- and late-luteal phases, as well as during the maternal recognition of pregnancy. During the follicular phase, chemerin stimulated basal and induced secretion of P and inhibited induced secretion of E by the porcine G, as well as decreased induced secretion of A, and T by the porcine Th. Therefore, chemerin appears to be a modulator of ovarian steroidogenesis in pigs, whereas its varied effects (stimulatory or inhibitory) on the secretion of steroid hormones may be due to the heterogeneity of factors regulating ovarian functions, possible interactions between these factors, and specific processes related to the ovarian physiology during different phases of the estrous cycle/pregnancy. Chemerin may also affect ovarian steroidogenesis in pigs by regulating the expression/activity of steroidogenic enzymes.