Abstract
Tumor necrosis factor α (TNF α) is a 17-kDa protein produced by macrophages in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (1). Recent studies indicate that the ovary contains and produces TNF α (2-6). TNF α has been localized immunohistochemically in the ovary of the rat, cow (3), and human (4), and it has been detected in the human ovary by a bioassay specific for TNF α (5). Granulosa cells are a source of ovarian TNF α based on the presence of immunoreactive TNF α in cultured cells (3,4) and media (4,5) and in frozen ovarian sections (3,4). TNF α also has been shown to alter ovarian steroidogenesis (7-11). Using granulosa cells from the DES-treated immature rat (8, 9,11,12) and the adult rat (10), several labs have shown that TNF α inhibits FSH-stimulated progesterone production. In addition, our laboratory has found that TNF α stimulates thecal progestin production in adult rat preovulatory follicles (10). The purpose of this chapter is to review the current literature on TNF α in the ovary and attempt to construct a hypothesis as to the role(s) of TNF α in ovarian function.
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© 1991 Springer-Verlag New York, Inc.
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Terranova, P.F., Roby, K.F., Sancho-Tello, M., Weed, J., Lyles, R. (1991). TNF α: Altering Thecal and Granulosal Cell Steroidogenesis. In: Gibori, G. (eds) Signaling Mechanisms and Gene Expression in the Ovary. Serono Symposia USA. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3200-1_15
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3200-1_15
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
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