Involvement of ganglionic cholinergic receptors on the steroidogenesis in the luteal phase in rat

The ovarian nervous plexus (ONP) is one of the principal extrinsic innervation pathways reaching the ovary from the superior mesenteric ganglion (SMG). The aims of this work were: (a) to determine if acetylcholine (Ach) in the SMG modifies the release of steroids and ovarian nitrites in an ex vivo SMG–ONP–ovary system on dioestrus (D) I and II, and (b) to demonstrate if the activities and gene expression of the steroidogenic enzymes 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) and 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (20α-HSD) are modified by cholinergic stimulus. The system was incubated in Krebs–Ringer buffer bicarbonate at 37 °C in metabolic bath. Ach (10−6 M) was used as cholinergic agonist. Ach in SMG increased progesterone release at all the incubation times on DI and DII (*p < 0.001). Androstenedione increased at 15 and 30 min on DI, and at 30 min on DII whereas nitric oxide (NO) increased at 30 min on DI, and at 15 and 30 min on DII. The activity of 3β-HSD increased whereas the activity of 20α-HSD decreased (*p < 0.001) on DI and DII. The gene expression of 3β-HSD showed a significant increase at 120 min on DI and DII (op < 0.01) and 20α-HSD diminished only on DII. The results show the importance of the SMG via the ovarian nervous plexus on the regulation of the steroid secretory activity and on the ovarian release of NO in the luteal phase. The complex synaptic connections in the prevertebral ganglia and the sympathetic ganglionic chain participate in the neuroendocrinological mechanisms that take place during the luteal steroidogenesis.