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Horm Metab Res 2008; 40(4): 239-244
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1022545
Original Basic

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Testosterone Environment of Splenocytes Modifies the Steroidogenesis of Polycystic Ovary in Rats

M. Forneris 1 , E. Rosales 1 , G. Ciuffo 2 , L. Oliveros 1
  • 1Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, San Luis, Argentina
  • 2Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, San Luis, Argentina
Further Information

Publication History

received 04.04.2007

accepted 20.09.2007

Publication Date:
06 February 2008 (online)

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Abstract

The functional relationship between the ovary and immune cells is well known. The modulation of ovarian steroidogenesis in adult rats with polycystic ovary (PCO) by secretions of cultured splenocytes treated with 10-6 M testosterone or 10-6 M testosterone plus 10-4 M flutamide, an androgen receptor antagonist, was investigated. Polycystic ovary was induced by estradiol valerate (2 mg/rat). Polycystic ovary splenocyte secretions decreased the release of androstenedione from PCO ovaries in contrast to the effect of non-PCO splenocyte secretions. This decrease was associated with a significant decrease in androgen receptor and IL-12 mRNA expression in PCO splenocytes. When splenocytes were treated with testosterone, their conditioned media further decreased androstenedione release from the ovary and had a greater inhibitory effect on PCO ovary compared with non-PCO ovary. This effect was reversed by flutamide. Polycystic ovary splenocytes showed a decrease in IL-1β mRNA expression. Their secretions scarcely affected progesterone release from non-PCO ovaries but significantly stimulated progesterone release from PCO ovary by an androgen-independent mechanism. The differential steroidogenic ability of splenocyte secretions from PCO rats is associated with the in vitro testosterone environment. Polycystic ovary splenocytes might exert a protective action against PCO effects through their secretions by inducing a low androstenedione response from the ovary.

Key words

splenocytes - androgen receptor - testosterone - polycystic ovary - interleukins

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Correspondence

Dra. L. Oliveros

Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción

Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia

Universidad Nacional de San Luis

Chacabuco 917

5700 San Luis

Argentina

Phone: +54/2652/42 46 89

Fax: +54/2652/43 02 24/43 13 01

Email: lolive@unsl.edu.ar