role of intercellular communication on lh receptor induction in rat

the cyclical changes in the gonadotropins stimulate ovarian follicular development either to the ovulatory stage or to undergo atresia. one such intrafollicular factor may be inter-cellular communication via gap junctions. we have examined the effects of two agents (retinoids and alkanols), known to disrupt or uncouple gap junction, on fsh-stimulated lh receptor induction and progestrone synthesis in granulosa cells. granulosa cells from diethylstilbestrol-treated immature rats were isolated and cultured in serum-free medium containing either fsh (15 ng/ml) or fsh and estradiol (30 nm), various doses (0.1-1000 nm) of either retinoic acid were added to the cultures at the time of seeding. additional cultures containing the same concentrations of either fsh, or fsh and estradiol, were treated with 0.01-10 nm heptanol or octanol. the results of this study showed that: 1) retinol, at all of the concentrations tested, had no effect on either fsh-stimulated lh receptor induction or progesterone accumulation by the granulosa cells. 2) retinoic acid suppressed both lh receptor induction and progesterone accumulation by the cells. 3) heptanol and octanol suppressed lh receptor induction but did not have inhibitory effect on the progesterone accumulation.