The effect of luteinizing hormone-releasing factor and its agonist on cultured human granulosa cells.

The possible direct effect of luteinizing hormone-releasing factor (LRF) and a potent LRF agonist, [D-Trp6,Pro9NEt]-LRF (LRF-Ag), on basal and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-stimulated estrogen and progesterone production by cultured human granulosa cells was examined. Granulosa cells, collected from healthy follicles (4 to 12 mm in diameter) in the early to midfollicular phase were grown for 2 days in serum-free medium with aromatase substrate (androstenedione; 10(-7) M) and human FSH (100 ng/ml), LRF (10(-10) to 10(-7) M) or in LRF-Ag (10(-7) M). Granulosa cells from each follicle responded to FSH stimulation by showing marked increases (2- to 20-fold) in estrogen and progesterone production. Concomitant treatment with high doses of LRF or LRF-Ag did not alter the steroidogenic effect of FSH. These results suggest that in contrast to the rat, LRF and its agonistic analog do not act directly on human granulosa cells to inhibit acute steroidogenic function.