The effect of progesterone upon first trimester trophoblastic cell differentiation and human chorionic gonadotrophin secretion

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Abstract
The effect of progesterone (P) upon first trimester placental secretion of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) and cellular differentiation was studied using both static and kinetic methods. At 1 μM, P inhibited spontaneous episodic secretion of HCG when given in short pulses (1–4 min) to placental explants in superfusion. Both HCG pulse frequency and amplitude were reduced. At 0.1–0.01 μM P concentrations, the effect of HCG secretion was milder. P also blocked the maximally effective concentration 100 pM of gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) analogue, a known HCG stimulant, when given together with it for 1 min. This in hibitory effect lasted for 1 h after P administration. Progesterone at 1 μM, added daily for 1 week blocked HCG secretion by isolated trophoblastic cells in static culture. This inhibitory effect lasted until the fifth day. No effect on differentiation and long-term viability was noticed in P-treated cells. Incubation with 0.1–1.0 μM P did not affect HCG secretion by explants after 24 h. In contrast, the effect of 1 μM cortisol or 1 nM oestradiol was stimulatory. In conclusion, P exerts both a rapid and delayed Inhibitory effect upon HCG secretion and production. It may do so by counteracting the stimulatory effect of endogenous GnRH on gonadotrophin secretion by the placenta.

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