Developmental changes in steroidogenic responses of ovarian follicles of amago salmon (Oncorhynchus rhodurus) to chum salmon gonadotropin during oogenesis.

Changes in amago salmon (Oncorhynchus rhodurus) ovarian thecal and granulosa layer function in association with the production of two biologically important ovarian mediators of oocyte growth and maturation in salmonids, estradiol-17 beta and 17 alpha,20 beta-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17 alpha,20 beta-diOHprog), were investigated using isolated follicular preparations in vitro. A distinct shift of steroidogenic responses of intact follicles from estradiol-17 beta to 17 alpha,20 beta-diOHprog in response to partially purified chum salmon gonadotropin (SGA) occurred immediately prior to oocyte maturation. Aromatase activity in granulosa layers increased during vitellogenesis and decreased rapidly prior to oocyte maturation. This decrease in aromatase activity was coincident with the decreased ability of intact follicles to produce estradiol-17 beta in response to SGA. Since testosterone production in thecal layers did not decline during this time, the reduced production of estradiol-17 beta by postvitellogenic follicles is due, in part, to decreased aromatase activity in granulosa layers. Immediately prior to oocyte maturation, intact follicles acquire an increased ability to produce 17 alpha,20 beta-diOHprog in response to SGA. Although granulosa layers first acquired the ability to convert exogenous 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (17 alpha-OHprog) to 17 alpha,20 beta-diOHprog (20 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, 20 beta-HSD, activity) in response to SGA about 2 months prior to oocyte maturation, thecal layers did not develop the ability to produce 17 alpha-OHprog in response to SGA until immediately prior to oocyte maturation. Thus, changes in thecal cell function are critical for intact follicles to acquire the ability to produce 17 alpha,20 beta-diOHprog in response to gonadotropin.