Phospholipase C and adenylate cyclase signalling systems in the action of hCG on porcine myometrial smooth muscle cells.

Although the uterus is a target tissue for LH and its homologue hCG the second messenger system responding to LH/hCG in myometrial cells is not established. In this study we investigated the involvement of protein kinase A and protein kinase C in the action of hCG on porcine myometrial smooth muscle cells in vitro. Myometrium was obtained from ovariectomized gilts given 2.5 mg oestradiol benzoate plus 50 mg progesterone for five consecutive days. Myometrial cells were cultured for 48 h and different doses of hCG were then added. Increasing doses of hCG stimulated concentration-dependent increases in [3H]inositol phosphates (IPs) accumulation in incubations lasting 24 h. The highest dose of hCG (1000 mU/ml) increased turnover of IPs by 2.4-fold as reflected in elevations in IP1, IP2 and IP3, and similar effects were observed with noradrenaline. The time- and concentration-dependent effects of hCG on IPs accumulation occurred between 16 and 24 h of incubation. Incubation of myocytes with the lowest doses of hCG (0.1 and 1 mU/ml) caused a significant increase in cAMP accumulation but the highest doses (10-1000 mU/ml) had no effect on cAMP concentrations. This is the first demonstration that LH/hCG receptor signalling leads to increased inositol phosphate turnover in myometrial cells as well as cAMP generation and it leads to the conclusion that both protein kinase A and protein kinase C signalling mechanisms are involved in gonadotrophin action in porcine myometrial smooth muscle cells.