Autocrine/paracrine function of transforming growth factor-beta 1 in porcine granulosa cells

The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta 1 on ovarian steroidogenesis in immature or moderately mature porcine granulosa cells in vitro. TGF-beta 1 (0.01-10 ng/ml) significantly attenuated progesterone release from the basal and follicle stimulating hormone-stimulated porcine granulosa cells, and significantly increased DNA synthesis. TGF-beta 1 also significantly increased the extracellular accumulation of cyclic AMP, but did not change the production of inositol phosphate or the intracellular calcium concentration in these cells. Thus, TGF-beta 1 appears to have a direct effect on porcine granulosa cell function, regulating the differential synthesis of progesterone mainly via the intracellular signal transduction of the cyclic AMP-protein kinase A pathway. This growth factor may play a physiologically significant role in controlling differentiation of immature and moderately mature porcine granulosa cells via an autocrine/paracrine mechanism.