The in vitro effects of cyclic nucleotides, cyanoketone, and cycloheximide on the production of estradiol-17 beta by vitellogenic ovarian follicles of goldfish (Carassius auratus).

The effects of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), forskolin, cyclic nucleotides, the phosphodiesterase inhibitors IBMX and theophylline, cyanoketone, and cycloheximide on the production of estradiol-17 beta by isolated ovarian follicles of vitellogenic goldfish (Carassius auratus) were examined using 18-hr incubations. HCG and all test agents which are known to increase intracellular concentrations of cAMP significantly stimulated the production of estradiol-17 beta. However, dibutyryl cGMP was unable to stimulate estradiol-17 beta production at any concentration used (1-10 mM). Cyanoketone at a concentration of 1 micrograms/ml completely blocked forskolin-induced estradiol-17 beta production. Even in the presence of cyanoketone, however, forskolin stimulated conversion of exogenous testosterone to estradiol-17 beta in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting the involvement of an adenylate-cyclase system in the induction of aromatase activation by vitellogenic follicles of goldfish. Cycloheximide also completely abolished HCG-induced estradiol-17 beta production when this inhibitor was added within the first 1 hr after the addition of HCG. These results provide evidence that the stimulation of estradiol-17 beta by goldfish vitellogenic follicles in response to HCG is dependent upon the synthesis of new protein.