EFFECT OF CATECHOL OESTROGENS ON INDUCED OVULATION IN THE IMMATURE RAT

Abstract

The 'positive feedback' effect of exogenous oestradiol-17β in advancing ovulation induced by pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) has been used in the present study as a model in which to test the possible oestrogenic or antioestrogenic effects of the catechol oestrogens, 2-hydroxyoestradiol (2-OHE2) and 4-OHE2. Sprague–Dawley rats of 26 days of age were injected with 20 i.u. PMSG together with either vehicle alone or test steroids. The animals were killed 72 h later and the Fallopian tubes were examined for the presence of ova. Advancement of induced ovulation by treatment with oestradiol was confirmed; 2-OHE2, in doses of up to 100 pg, influenced neither the time of ovulation nor the number of ova present but 4-OHE2 was equipotent with oestradiol in doses varying from 0·5 pg (the minimum effective dose for both steroids) to 10 μg. The possible antioestrogenic effect of 2-OHE2 was tested by giving a 100 pg dose either at the same time or 2 h before PMSG plus 2 pg oestradiol or 4-OHE2. The effects of oestradiol and 4-OHE2 were not altered by this treatment. These data show that, in this model of'positive feedback', 2-OHE2 has neither an oestrogenic nor an antioestrogenic action but that 4-OHE2 has a potent oestrogenic action, thus raising the question of a physiological role for 4-OHE2 in the regulation of ovulation.