Angiogenic activity of bovine corpora lutea at several stages of luteal development

Samples from corpus haemorrhagicum, mid-cycle corpus luteum (CL) and late-cycle CL were tested for their abilities to stimulate neovascularization of chorioallantoic membranes (CAM) of developing chicks. Responses were graded from 0 to 4 (4 being the greatest response). Luteal tissue implants from each stage of the oestrous cycle stimulated growth of CAM blood vessels, and vascular responses increased with age of CL. Implants from late-cycle CL were typically graded 3 or 4. Luteal tissues from several stages of development were also incubated for 6 h in serum-free medium containing no hormone, LH, PGF-2 alpha or both hormones. Media conditioned by luteal tissues were assayed for progesterone and tested for their ability to stimulate mitogenesis and migration of bovine aortic endothelial cells in vitro. All media conditioned by luteal tissues stimulated mitogenesis and migration of endothelial cells, but media from late-cycle CL exhibited the greatest activity. Luteinizing hormone significantly increased in-vitro secretion of a factor(s) that stimulated migration of endothelial cells. PGF-2 alpha alone had no effect on production of endothelial cell mitogen or migration-stimulating factor(s) from luteal incubations; however, the ability of LH to enhance secretion of the migration-stimulating factor(s) was blocked by PGF-2 alpha. This study demonstrates that angiogenic activity of bovine luteal tissues increases with age of the CL and in-vitro secretion of angiogenic factor is responsive to hormones known to regulate luteal function.