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H Billig

Publications and source records attributed to H Billig.

62 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Biphasic effect of gonadotropin releasing hormone on progestin secretion by rat granulosa cells.

The effect of an agonistic gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH)-analog (D-Ala6, des-Gly10-NH2-GnRH-ethylamide, GnRHa) on granulosa cell steroidogenesis in the presence or absence of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) or luteinizing hormone (LH) was studied. Granulosa cells, isolated from preovulatory follicles of pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG)-treated immature rats or from the less mature follicles of untreated immature rats, were cultured for a period of 72 h with daily changes of medium, and progesterone and its metabolite, 20 alpha-dihydro-progesterone (20 alpha-OHP), were assayed in the medium. In granulosa cells from preovulatory follicles, LH and FSH caused a much greater stimulation of steroidogenesis than did GnRHa. There appeared to be no interaction between GnRHa and FSH during the first 10 h, but at 24 h and later the presence of GnRHa clearly inhibited the steroidogenic response to LH and FSH. Steroidogenesis in granulosa cells from immature rats was considerably lower and the effects of GnRHa and FSH alone less pronounced. In these cells, FSH-stimulated progesterone secretion was inhibited by GnRHa only at 72 h. In contrast, 20 alpha-OHP secretion in the same cultures was potentiated by the combined presence of FSH and GnRHa. In conclusion, it seems as though the effects of GnRHa on granulosa cell steroidogenesis varies with exposure time, the initial response being stimulatory and the later inhibitory. Furthermore, the response is also to some extent determined by the maturational stage of the granulosa cells.

20-alpha-Dihydroprogesterone↗
PubMed1983

Gonadotrophins stimulate lactate production by rat cumulus and granulosa cells.

Oocyte-cumulus complexes and mural granulosa cells, respectively, isolated from pre-ovulatory rat follicles and cultured in lactate-free medium showed a continuous accumulation of lactate during a 1 to 7 h incubation. Lactate production was stimulated by gonadotrophins, both when administered in vivo and in vitro, with the exception that LH given in vivo did not affect granulosa cell lactate production. Since the oocyte is known to have specific demands on energy substrate, it is suggested that the lactate produced is important for the growing and maturing oocyte.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Comparison between the progestin secretion responsiveness to gonadotrophins of rat cumulus and mural granulosa cells in vitro.

Several studies have shown differences in gonadotrophin receptor content between different granulosa cell (gc) populations within the ovarian follicle, but little is known about the gonadotrophin sensitivity in gc from different parts of the follicle. This study is an investigation of progestin synthesis and responsiveness to highly purified human and partly purified rat gonadotrophins. It involves short-term culture of rat cumulus and mural gc obtained from preovulatory follicles of PMSG-treated immature rats. The responsiveness to FSH in terms of progestin accumulation was similar in the two gc populations, whereas the responsiveness to LH was greater in the mural gc than in the cumulus. The morphological response in the cumulus cells (mucification) correlated with the steroidogenic response. The pattern of progestin synthesis differed between the two gc populations. In the cumulus gc progesterone was dominant, whereas 20 alpha-dihydroprogesterone was the main progestin secreted in the mural gc. The difference in responsiveness to gonadotrophins correlates well with the reported differences in receptor content in the two gc populations.

20-alpha-Dihydroprogesterone↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Gonadal cell apoptosis: hormone-regulated cell demise.

It has become evident that apoptosis, an active form of cell 'suicide', plays an important role in the normal function of all tissues. A balance of cell proliferation and apoptosis is maintained in a healthy individual and any imbalance of the two processes could lead to pathological changes. In both sexes, massive apoptosis accounts for the demise of a majority of gonadal cells (ovarian granulosa cells and male germ cells) during reproductive life. Recent studies have indicated the important role of gonadotrophins as survival factors in both the ovary and the testis. Furthermore, intra-gonadal survival. factors in the ovary (oestrogens, insulin-like growth factor I, epidermal growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, interleukin-1 beta, nitric oxide, etc.) and testis (androgens) have been shown to act in concert with the gonadotrophins. In contrast, several apoptotic factors (androgens, gonadotrophin-releasing hormone-like peptide and interleukin-6) may be important in inducing the demise of ovarian follicles. Understanding of the hormonal and cellular mechanisms responsible for gonadal cell apoptosis will provide new approaches for the treatment of gonadal degenerative conditions such as premature ovarian failure and cryptorchidism, as well as for the design of new contraceptive approaches.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The disposition of valpromide in rats and the isolated perfused rat liver.

The pharmacokinetics and metabolism of valpromide (VPD) were investigated in intact rats and in the isolated perfused rat liver (IPL). The rats and the IPLs were divided into three groups. One was a control (untreated) group. The second consisted of intact rats and IPLs obtained from rats pretreated with phenobarbital. A third group of rats received VPD by oral administration. VPD was partially hydrolyzed to valproic acid (VPA) by the IPL following iv administration to intact rats. The fraction of the total body clearance of VPD which furnished VPA as a metabolite (fm) in the rats was 63%. The rate and extent of this conversion were greater in the phenobarbital-pretreated rats and in the IPLs than in the control group. Our studies showed that phenobarbital can induce the hydrolytic biotransformation of VPD to VPA. This is in addition to its known effect on oxidative metabolic pathways. In rats, as in humans and dogs, VPD is biotransformed to VPA in the liver. The complete oral bioavailability of VPD and the fact that the AUC of VPA obtained after oral administration of VPD was not higher than that obtained after the iv injection of VPD indicates that the gastrointestinal tract is not one of the metabolic sites of VPD to VPA conversion.

Administration, Oral↗