Effects of LH and FSH on androgen and oestrogen release in the myometrium of pigs during the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy

The porcine myometrium possesses steroidogenic activity. LH and FSH are hypothesised to regulate the myometrial production of androstenedione (A4), testosterone (T), oestrone (E1) and 17β-oestradiol (E2). In this study, we used myometrium collected from cycling (n=15) and pregnant (n=15) pigs on Days 10–11, 12–13 and 15–16 of the oestrous cycle or pregnancy to determine: (1) the abundance of LH and FSH receptor (LH/choriogonadotrophin receptor (CGR) and FSHR) mRNA and protein; (2) activity of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (17βHSD1); and (3) A4, T, E1 and E2 release in response to LH and FSH treatment, used at doses 10 or 100ng mL−1 for 6h. In results, the myometrium possesses LH/CGR and FSHR with minor alterations in their expression in the course of the oestrous cycle or early pregnancy. 17βHSD1 activity was the highest on Days 12–13 of the oestrous cycle and the lowest on Days 15–16 of the oestrus cycle and pregnancy, when compared to the other studied days of the oestrous cycle or pregnancy. The LH and FSH treatment increased A4 release on Days 12–13 of the oestrous cycle, and E1 and E2 release on Days 15–16 of the oestrous cycle. Moreover, on Days 12–13 E2 release was increased in response to FSH treatment (100ng mL−1) in cycling pigs and in response to LH (100ng mL−1) in pregnant pigs. In conclusion, the myometrium of pregnant and non-pregnant pigs expresses LH/CGR and FSHR and has 17βHSD1 activity. In addition, the amount of A4, E1, and E2 release from the myometrium is altered in response to LH and FSH, especially in cycling pigs. LH and FSH appear to be important regulators of myometrial oestrogen release in pigs mostly during luteolysis.