Follicular stage-dependent regulation of rat granulosa cell plasminogen activator system by transforming growth factor-alpha in vitro.

In the present study, we have examined the influence of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF alpha) and FSH in vitro on the granulosa cell plasminogen activator (PA) system accompanying cell proliferation and differentiation during follicular development. Undifferentiated and differentiated rat granulosa cells from diethylstilbestrol (DES)- and eCG-treated immature rats, respectively, were cultured in medium containing FSH (400 ng/ml), TGF alpha (0.5-50 ng/ml), and/or transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta; 25-100 ng/ml). Net secreted PA (PAs) and cell-associated PA (PAc) activities were higher in differentiated cells and were stimulated by TGF alpha (but not by TGF beta) in a concentration-dependent manner. Basal and FSH-stimulated PAs was higher than PAc and accounted for 70-80% of the total PA activity in both cell preparations. FSH-stimulated PA activities increased in undifferentiated granulosa cells but decreased in differentiated cells with increased duration of culture. A biphasic effect (stimulatory in the first 24 h and inhibitory thereafter) of TGF alpha on FSH-induced PA activities was observed in the cultures of undifferentiated granulosa cells. Whereas both urokinase (uPA) and tissue (tPA) PA appeared to be present in cultures of granulosa cells from DES-treated rats, only tPA could be detected in those from eCG-treated animals. TGF alpha increased basal tPA activity at both stages of follicular development but inhibited activities of uPA in undifferentiated granulosa cells, irrespective of the presence of FSH. This growth factor stimulated basal progesterone (P) and 20 alpha-dihydroprogesterone (20 alpha-OH-P) secretion (an index of granulosa cell differentiation), the effect being more pronounced at the late stage of follicular development.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)