Estradiol esterification in the human preovulatory follicle

In the preovulatory follicle, the LH surge stimulates progesterone production, reduces estradiol synthesis, and scales up the permeability of the blood-follicle barrier. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the extent of these changes is correlated with the levels of estradiol, estradiol esters, and cholesteryl esters in the follicular fluid. The follicular levels of progesterone, estradiol, estradiol linoleate, cholesterol, and cholesteryl linoleate were measured by HPLC. The estradiol linoleate/estradiol ratio, which reflects the efficiency of in vivo estradiol esterification, and the cholesteryl linoleate/cholesterol ratio were calculated and found negatively correlated. The estradiol level was positively correlated with the cholesteryl linoleate/cholesterol ratio while negatively correlated with the estradiol linoleate/estradiol ratio. The in vitro activity of lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase, the enzyme esterifying both cholesterol and estradiol, was assayed by incubating the fluid with labeled substrates. This activity was not correlated with either the estradiol linoleate/estradiol or the cholesteryl linoleate/cholesterol ratio. The enzyme K(m) and V(max) values were lower with estradiol than with cholesterol. Higher estradiol linoleate/estradiol ratios and lower cholesteryl linoleate/cholesterol ratios were associated with higher level of Haptoglobin penetration into the follicle. This level, which was determined by ELISA, was found increased with increased progesterone concentration and, therefore, used as a marker of the LH-stimulated permeability of the blood-follicle barrier. Our data suggest that early preovulatory follicles contain more cholesteryl esters and less estradiol esters than follicles closer to ovulation.