Interleukin-1 suppresses follicle-stimulating hormone-induced estradiol secretion from cultured ovarian granulosa cells.

The effect of recombinant human interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) on the follicle stimulating hormone-(FSH) induced secretion of estradiol was investigated using cultured granulosa cells obtained from immature rats with diethylstilbestrol implants. Estradiol secretion was significantly reduced by IL-1 beta in cultures containing FSH and either 10(-7) or 10(-8) M androstenedione as a substrate for estradiol synthesis. However, the inhibition of FSH-induced estradiol secretion by IL-1 beta was more apparent in the presence of 10(-8) M as compared to 10(-7) M androstenedione. IL-1 beta suppressed estradiol secretion during a 72 h culture in a dose-dependent manner with a minimum effective dose of 10 ng/ml. The reduction of FSH-stimulated estradiol secretion by IL-1 beta was greatest after a 48 h culture in the presence of 10(-8) M androstenedione. IL-1 beta did not effect estradiol production when cultures were incubated with various doses of androstenedione in the absence of FSH. Finally, IL-1 beta also suppressed the forskolin-induced secretion of estradiol. These results suggest that IL-1 beta may play some role in the multifactorial regulation of aromatase and estrogen secretion in the early developing follicle, and IL-1 beta may exert an effect on the cAMP-adenylate cyclase messenger system in granulosa cells. Taken together with previous studies, these results provide further evidence for the existence of a putative communications network between the immune and reproductive endocrine systems.