Interactions of Estrogen and Androgen with Gonadotropins on Ovarian Progesterone Production1

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Abstract
In hypophysectomized immature female rats, treatment with estradiol-17β (E2) in vivo for 3 days decreased the ovarian production of progesterone in response to luteinizing hormone (LH). Concomitant treatment with E2 and purified follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) prevented this inhibitory action of E2. The possibility of a positive interaction between E2 and FSH was further substantiated by similar observations in vitro. While E2 inhibited progesterone accumulation by cultured ovarian cells, this inhibitory action was antagonized by the concomitant presence of FSH in the culture medium. By contrast, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) increased progesterone accumulation by the ovarian cells; concomitant treatment with DHT and FSH further enhanced this stimulatory effect. These results are consistent with the notion that steroid hormones exert local modulatory influences on ovarian responses to gonadotropic hormone stimulation.