Biomaterial Database

Regulation of inhibin secretion in human placental cell culture by epidermal growth factor, transforming growth factors, and activin. 1993

J Qu, and K Thomas

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.

In this study, the effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF alpha), TGF beta 1, and activin-A on inhibin secretion were investigated in primary culture of human placental cells. Immunoreactive inhibin in the culture medium was measured by immunoenzymatic assay. EGF stimulated testosterone-induced inhibin secretion in placental cells. Although testosterone alone induced only a slight enhancement of inhibin release in the culture, treatment of trophoblast cells with EGF and testosterone caused a significant increase in inhibin secretion, with immunoreactive inhibin levels much higher than those of testosterone or EGF alone. TGF alpha combined with human placental lactogen (hPL) had a stimulatory effect on inhibin secretion in placental cell culture. Simple addition of either TGF alpha or hPL to the culture did not show any effect on inhibin secretion in placental cells. A remarkable augmentation of inhibin secretion was obtained after the trophoblasts were exposed to both TGF alpha and hPL simultaneously. TGF beta 1 and activin-A showed synergistic effects to suppress inhibin secretion in placental cells. TGF beta 1 alone did not show any action on inhibin secretion, and activin-A alone induced a small decrease in inhibin release in the culture. In the presence of activin-A, addition of TGF beta 1 to the culture induced a profound decrease in immunoreactive inhibin levels in the medium. Activin-A could also suppress hCG-induced inhibin secretion in placental cells. Addition of hCG alone resulted in a small, but not significant, increase in inhibin release in the cultured cells, whereas the presence of activin-A combined with hCG in the culture conversely decreased inhibin secretion in the culture, with immunoreactive inhibin levels significantly lower than those in the presence of hCG or activin-A alone. These findings suggest that EGF and TGF alpha, alone or in combination with other hormones, may be stimulators, and TGF beta and activin may act as suppressors of inhibin secretion in human placental cells.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007265	Inhibins	Glycoproteins that inhibit pituitary FOLLICLE STIMULATING HORMONE secretion. Inhibins are secreted by the Sertoli cells of the testes, the granulosa cells of the ovarian follicles, the placenta, and other tissues. Inhibins and ACTIVINS are modulators of FOLLICLE STIMULATING HORMONE secretions; both groups belong to the TGF-beta superfamily, as the TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR BETA. Inhibins consist of a disulfide-linked heterodimer with a unique alpha linked to either a beta A or a beta B subunit to form inhibin A or inhibin B, respectively	Female Inhibin,Inhibin,Inhibin-F,Inhibins, Female,Inhibins, Testicular,Ovarian Inhibin,Testicular Inhibin,Female Inhibins,Inhibin F,Inhibin, Female,Inhibin, Ovarian,Inhibin, Testicular,Testicular Inhibins
D010920	Placenta	A highly vascularized mammalian fetal-maternal organ and major site of transport of oxygen, nutrients, and fetal waste products. It includes a fetal portion (CHORIONIC VILLI) derived from TROPHOBLASTS and a maternal portion (DECIDUA) derived from the uterine ENDOMETRIUM. The placenta produces an array of steroid, protein and peptide hormones (PLACENTAL HORMONES).	Placentoma, Normal,Placentome,Placentas,Placentomes
D010928	Placental Lactogen	A polypeptide hormone of approximately 25 kDa that is produced by the SYNCYTIOTROPHOBLASTS of the PLACENTA, also known as chorionic somatomammotropin. It has both GROWTH HORMONE and PROLACTIN activities on growth, lactation, and luteal steroid production. In women, placental lactogen secretion begins soon after implantation and increases to 1 g or more a day in late pregnancy. Placental lactogen is also an insulin antagonist.	Choriomammotropin,Chorionic Somatomammotropin, Human,Human Placental Lactogen,Lactogen Hormone, Placental,Mammotropic Hormone, Placental,Somatomammotropin, Chorionic,Choriomammotrophin,HCS (Human Chorionic Somatomammotropin),HPL (Human Placental Lactogen),PAPP-D,Placental Luteotropin,Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein D,Chorionic Somatomammotropin,Human Chorionic Somatomammotropin,Lactogen, Placental,Luteotropin, Placental,Placental Lactogen, Human,Placental Mammotropic Hormone,Pregnancy Associated Plasma Protein D
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D004347	Drug Interactions	The action of a drug that may affect the activity, metabolism, or toxicity of another drug.	Drug Interaction,Interaction, Drug,Interactions, Drug
D004815	Epidermal Growth Factor	A 6-kDa polypeptide growth factor initially discovered in mouse submaxillary glands. Human epidermal growth factor was originally isolated from urine based on its ability to inhibit gastric secretion and called urogastrone. Epidermal growth factor exerts a wide variety of biological effects including the promotion of proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal and EPITHELIAL CELLS. It is synthesized as a transmembrane protein which can be cleaved to release a soluble active form.	EGF,Epidermal Growth Factor-Urogastrone,Urogastrone,Human Urinary Gastric Inhibitor,beta-Urogastrone,Growth Factor, Epidermal,Growth Factor-Urogastrone, Epidermal,beta Urogastrone
D005260	Female		Females
D006063	Chorionic Gonadotropin	A gonadotropic glycoprotein hormone produced primarily by the PLACENTA. Similar to the pituitary LUTEINIZING HORMONE in structure and function, chorionic gonadotropin is involved in maintaining the CORPUS LUTEUM during pregnancy. CG consists of two noncovalently linked subunits, alpha and beta. Within a species, the alpha subunit is virtually identical to the alpha subunits of the three pituitary glycoprotein hormones (TSH, LH, and FSH), but the beta subunit is unique and confers its biological specificity (CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN, BETA SUBUNIT, HUMAN).	Chorionic Gonadotropin, Human,HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin),Biogonadil,Choriogonadotropin,Choriogonin,Chorulon,Gonabion,Human Chorionic Gonadotropin,Pregnyl,Gonadotropin, Chorionic,Gonadotropin, Human Chorionic
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man