Oocyte maturity and human follicular fluid prostanoids, gonadotropins, and prolactin after administration of clomiphene and pergonal

Follicular fluid (FF) and oocytes were obtained from 130 follicles of 52 women in whom ovulation was induced with human menopausal gonadotropin (Pergonal) and clomiphene citrate. Follicular aspiration was performed 36 h after an ovulatory injection of hCG. The concentrations of LH, FSH, PRL, and the prostanoids prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), PGF_2α, PGI₂ (as 6-oxo-PGF_2α), and thromboxane A₂ (as TXB₂)in the FF were measured by RIA and related to the degree of maturation of the oocyte-corona-cumulus complex mass (OCCC). FF obtained from follicles with immature OCCC contained significantly lower concentrations of all four prostanoids (me-dian concentrations, picograms per mL: PGE₂, 88; PGF_2α, 85; 6-oxo-PGF_1α) 40; TXB₂, 50) than those with intermediate OCCC (PGE2) 175; PGF_2α, 325; 6-oxo-PGF_1α, 130; TXB₂, 65) and mature OCCC (PGE₂, 425; PGF_2α 860; 6-oxo-PGF_1α, 235; TXB₂) 78; all P < 0.01). There were no significant differences between the maturity of the complexes and the concentrations of LH, FSH, or PRL. There were significant correlations between the FF concentrations of LH and FSH and those of all of the prostanoids, but not with PRL, concentrations. These results indicate that the synthesis of prostanoids in the human Graafian follicles may be modulated by gonadotro-pins and consolidates the view that prostanoids may play a role in human oocyte maturation and ovulation.