OESTROGEN BIOSYNTHESIS AND STEROID METABOLISM IN THE PORCINE OVARY

Abstract

ABSTRACT In vitro incubations of isolated porcine pre-ovulatory follicles, corpora lutea, and minced whole pre- and post-ovulatory ovaries were undertaken in an attempt to elucidate the pathways of oestrogen biosynthesis and steroid metabolism in the various cellular compartments of the porcine ovary. The conversion of radioactive acetate to cholesterol, the conversions of pregnenolone and progesterone to 16-hydroxyprogesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, oestrone and oestradiol and the conversion of pregnenolone to 17-hydroxypregnenolone were observed following incubation with pre-ovulatory follicles in vitro. No significant effect of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) added in vitro on steroid metabolism could be demonstrated. The conversions of dehydroepiandrosterone to oestradiol and 16-hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone to 16-hydroxyandrostenedione were obtained with corpora lutea in vitro. Pre-ovulatory whole ovarian mince incubations converted progesterone to 16-hydroxyprogesterone and androstenedione to oestrone. When 16-hydroxyandrostenedione, 16-hydroxyprogesterone and 16-hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone were incubated as substrates and/or formed in these various studies, no evidence for the formation of oestriol or other 16-oxygenated oestrogens could be demonstrated, although non-16 hydroxylated neutral steroids were aromatized in paired experiments.