This is the first attempt to elucidate the direct effect of acupuncture stimulation on plasma levels of LH, FSH, progesterone and estradiol in normally ovulating women. Four loci, which are known from experience to relate closely to female reproductive organs, were needled with electric stimulation and the responses to synthetic LH-RH with and without acupuncture stimulation were also analyzed in the same cases. Plasma hormone levels were measured by specific radioimmunoassy. All cases showed normal responses to LH-RH corresponding to the day of the menstrual cycle. During the initial part of stimulation, both progesterone and estradiol levels rose in follicular cases and declined in luteal cases. Plasma LH levels declined and FSH showed no change at this time. The analysis of plasma LH responses to LH-RH under acupuncture stimulation revealed extraordinary re-elevation in some cases. It is suggested tha properly performed acupuncture stimulation might affect the fermale endocrine function.

The plasma levels of estradiol and progesterone in 5 mature female Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata fuscata) throughout a breeding and nonbreeding season were measured by radioimmunoassay. As the breeding season approached, plasma estradiol levels started to increase and a few elevations were detected. However, neither a plasma progesterone rise nor menstrual bleeding was seen. Menstrual bleeding began in December and recurred regularly 4 or 5 times at 4 week intervals until April. During this period, cyclic estradiol elevations (150-250 pg/ml) and luteal progesterone rises (2.0-5.3 ng/ml) were observed. After the last menstruation in March or April, two animals showed an estradiol elevation, but progesterone levels remained in the basal range and amenorrhea persisted. These data indicated that female Japanese monkeys ovulate 4 or 5 times a year, i.e., their breeding season is definitely defined. The changes of both steroids in transitional periods between nonbreeding and breeding, and breeding and nonbreeding seasons, suggested that some follicle development occurred in these periods. The elucidation of the mechanisms involved in the seasonal variation of reproductive functions in the Japanese monkey may provide useful information concerning some aspects of amenorrhea in human females.

To examine androgenic potential of polycystic ovaries (PCO), slices of follicular and stromal tissues from the same ovary obtained by wedge resection from two markedly, two moderately and one slightly enlarged PCO were incubated separately with [1-14C] acetate. Incorporation into progestins, androgens and estrogens was assessed by reverse dilution technique with recrystallization to constant specific activity. Although the greatest incorporation into androstenedione with much lesser incorporation into testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone was observed with all the five follicles, the amount of incorporation into the three steroids increased gradedly with histologically defined magnitude of thecal cell hyperplasia in atretic follicles. Only the stromal tissues from two markedly enlarged PCO produced androgens with a similar pattern of 14C distribution among the steroids, thereby incorporation into the three androgens remaining 5.5% or less of that by the follicles from the same ovary. Preoperative levels of plasma androstenedione and urinary 17-ketosteroids were shown to increase in four patients with PCO containing atretic follicles with thecal cell hyperplasia, but not in one patient with slightly enlarged PCO containing atretic follicles without thecal cell hyperplasia. It is inferred that atretic follicles with thecal cell hyperplasia is a significant source of androgen overproduction by PCO.

The present study was undertaken to investigate the role of angiotensin II (All) in GnRH-induced PRL release on the paracrine interaction among anterior pituitary cells of young male rats. A 20-min perifusion with 100 nM GnRH increased PRL release (p < 0.01) from pituitary cell aggregates, and GnRH-stimulated release of PRL was significantly suppressed by saralasin, a specific AH antagonist. The release of AI from pituitary cell aggregates was significantly (p < 0.01) increased by GnRH. These data demonstrate that GnRH is capable of stimulating PRL release through a mechanism that may involve the release of angiotensin. It was also speculated that some factors released from pituitary cells such as angiotensin might be involved in the control of ovarian functions. As an approach to investigate this possibility, porcine anterior pituitary cells and ovarian granulosa cells were co-cultured on type 1 collagen membrane which permits the exchange of the substance with molecular weights less than 9,000. The growth and progesterone production of the granulosa cells co-cultured with pituitary cells were significantly (p < 0.05) greater than those of the cells cultured in monolayer fashion. Thus, the results of the present study revealed the biological significances of the paracrine system involving angiotensin between gonadotroph and lactotroph in pituitary cells and the direct effect of the factors derived from pituitary cells on ovarian functions.

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