Progesterone and estrogen production by placental monolayer cultures: effect of dehydroepiandrosterone and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone.

The effect of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) and LRH on estrogen and progesterone production by cultured placental cells has been investigated. Placental monolayer cultures were established by trypsin dispersion of term placental villi and were maintained for 5 days in culture medium containing either no steroid or 10(-7) - 10(-5)M DHA, DHA sulfate (DHAS), or 16 alpha-hydroxy-DHA (16 alpha-OH DHA), in all cases with and without the addition of 2 X 10(-7) or 2 X 10(-6)M LRH. The cultures were changed every 24 h, and the media collected were analyzed for estrogen and progesterone by RIA. 17 beta-Estradiol production was dependent on the presence of DHA or DHAS in the medium and increased in proportion to the concentration of precursor added. Similarly, estriol was produced in proportion to the amount of 16 alpha-OH DHA added to the medium. At the same time, high concentrations (10(-5) M) of DHA and DHAS, but not 16 alpha-OH DHA, markedly suppressed progesterone production. LRH had an inhibitory effect on both progesterone and estrogen output by the cultures. These studies suggest that not only the fetus, through its increasing adrenal production of DHA and DHAS toward term, but the placenta itself, through its production of LRH, could modulate placental steroid synthesis.