Increases in mitochondrial steroidogenesis after short term incubation of porcine ovarian follicles with luteinizing hormone.

[4-14C]Cholesterol side chain cleavage, progesterone synthesis, and cytochrome oxidase activities were measured in mitochondria from unincubated and short term incubated large (8-10 mm) follicles isolated from porcine ovaries. Compared to the activity of mitochondria from unincubated follicles, specific [4-14C]cholesterol side chain cleavage activity in mitochondria from follicles incubated with LH (0.05 microgrogram/ml) did not change significantly after 12 h, but increased almost 2-fold after 18 h and 5-fold after 24 h. Also, specific mitochondrial progesterone synthesis activity increased dramatically after incubation of follicles for 24 h with LH. In comparison, mitochondria prepared from follicles incubated without LH showed no significant change in specific [4-14C]cholesterol side chain cleavage or progesterone synthesis activities after 18 h of incubation. While both of these activities increased after incubating follicles 24 h without LH, the values were significantly lower than those observed for preparations from follicles incubated with LH. In contrast to these changes in mitochondrial steroidogenesis, specific cytochrome oxidase activity in mitochondria did not change after incubation of follicles without or with LH. It is concluded that incubation of follicles with LH stimulates the development of mitochondrial steroidogenesis but initially does not affect some components of the respiratory chain.