Influence of adrenergic receptors on ovarian progesterone secretion in the pseudopregnant cat and oestradiol secretion in the oestrous cat

Abstract

Summary. The infusion of isoprenaline or propranolol into the abdominal aorta of the pseudopregnant cat caused an increase or decrease respectively in the ovarian progesterone secretion rate. These observations suggest that the sympathetic innervation of the ovary has a physiological influence on normal progesterone secretion, and this mechanism may explain stress-related increases in progesterone concentrations. The infusion of isoprenaline or propranolol after the stimulation of follicular growth had no consistent or convincing effect on oestradiol secretion.

Peripheral progesterone concentrations in the luteal-phase ewe: effects of a β-adrenergic receptor antagonist and two β2-adrenergic agonists

“…This may represent a physio¬ logical modulation of progesterone secretion. Earlier similar observations on the effects of propranolol on bovine luteal progesterone secretion in vitro (Godkin et al 1977), of denervation of the ovaries in the lutealphase ewe (Wheeler & Blackshaw, 1986), and of pro¬ pranolol on progesterone secretion by the anaesthe¬ tized pseudopregnant cat (Wheeler et al 1987), but not those on the oestrogen-treated hypophysectom¬ ized pseudopregnant rabbit (Gadsby et al 1985), support this argument.…”

“…ß-Adrenergic receptors are present in follicular and luteal tissue (Jordan, 1980). Sympathomimetic drugs increase pro¬ gesterone secretion by bovine (Condon & Blacky 1976), ovine (Jordan, Caffrey & Niswender, 1978) and rat (Ratner, Sanborn & Weiss, 1980), but not human (Richardson & Masson, 1980) luteal tissue in vitro, and the secretion of progesterone in vivo in the anaesthetized rat (Zsolnai, Varga & Horvath, 1982) and cat (Wheeler, Walker & Lean, 1987).…”

“…A reduction in the progesterone concentration due to a blockade of any adrenergic stimulation would be convincing evi¬ dence for such a role (Gadsby, Keyes, Schwartz et al 1985). While such a reduction in response to propranolol (a ß-adrenergic antagonist) occurs in bovine luteal tissue in vitro (Godkin, Black & Duby, 1977) and in the anaesthetized cat (Wheeler et al 1987), it remains to be demonstrated in the conscious animal.…”

Stimulation of progesterone secretion by cultured human granulosa cells with melatonin and catecholamines

“…Catecholamines stimulate progesterone production by the ovary in vivo and by CL tissue and granulosa cells in vitro in a number of species, including the rat (Ratner et al, 1980;Norjavaara et al, 1982), sheep (Jordan et al, 1978), cow (Condon & Black, 1976;Battista et al, 1987;Luck & Jungclas, 1987) and cat (Wheeler et al, 1987). It is, however, uncertain whether catecholamines stimulate steroidogenesis in primate CL.…”