By examining in vitro the effects of prostaglandin E-2 (PGE-2) and prostaglandin F-2alpha (PGF-2alpha) induced in the corpora lutea (CL) of pseudopregnant rabbits, we have demonstrated that these prostaglandins modulate luteal nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and progesterone production differently, depending on the age of the CL. On CL obtained on day 4 of pseudopregnancy (day-4), PGE-2 was found to depress NOS total activity to 13% of control and to significantly increase basal progesterone secretion by 61%, while PGF-2alpha had no effect. On day-9 CL, PGE-2 was ineffective, but PGF-2alpha caused a 2.5-fold increase of NOS activity and a marked decrease in progesterone production. Using specific inhibitors, we found that the regulatory actions of PGE-2 in vitro are mediated via the adenyl cyclase/protein kinase A (PKA) second messenger system, while the PGF-2alpha-induced luteolytic effects on day-9 CL depend upon activation of the phospholipase C/protein kinase C (PKC) system. The different responsiveness of day-4 and day-9 CL to PGE-2 and PGF-2alpha could depend on receptor availability for these two prostaglandins, even if other cellular mechanisms cannot be excluded. The present study supports a functional role for NOS in regulating the steroidogenic capacity of rabbit CL, and reveals a novel interaction between a stimulatory G-protein-coupled receptor and PKC/PKA-mediated signal transduction modulating NOS activity.

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