Inhibitory effect of gossypol on human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)-induced progesterone secretion in cultured bovine luteal cells.

Inhibitory effects of gossypol on the female reproductive system have been recently reported. This study investigated a possible site of gossypol action on progesterone synthesis. Bovine luteal cells were cultured with hCG and forskolin in the presence or absence of gossypol. At 10 micrograms/ml, gossypol significantly inhibited hCG- and forskolin-stimulated progesterone secretion and intracellular cAMP formation; at 20 micrograms/ml, gossypol completely abolished the stimulative effect of hCG and forskolin. The results suggest that adenylate cyclase may be a site of gossypol action on steroidogenesis of bovine luteal cells.