Effects of genistein and lavendustin on reproductive processes in domestic animals in vitro

The aim of our experiments was to study the influence of genistein [tyrosine kinase (TK) inhibitor with estrogenic activity] and lavendustin A (TK inhibitor without estrogenic activity) on female reproductive processes in domestic animals in vitro. It was found that genistein (0.001-1 mu g/ml) increased IGF-I release by cultured bovine and porcine granulosa cells, but decreased its secretion by rabbit granulosa cells (0.01-10 mu g/ml). Genistein stimulated progesterone secretion by bovine and rabbit granulosa cells (at 0.01-10 mu g/ml), estradiol output by rabbit granulosa cells (at 1 mu g/ml) and porcine ovarian follicles (at 10 mu g/ml), as web as cAMP production by bovine (at 0.001-1 mu g/ml) and rabbit (at 1 mu g/ml) granulosa cells. No effects of genistein (at 10 mu g/ml) on PGF-2 alpha and progesterone release by porcine ovarian follicles were observed. Genistein significantly (P < 0.05) stimulated the reinitiation and completion of nuclear maturation of porcine oocytes (at 5 mu g/ml), as well as the preimplantation development of rabbit zygotes (at 1 mu g/ml). Lavendustin A (0.001-1 mu g/ml) increased IGF-I release by bovine (but not by porcine) granulosa cells, cAMP release by bovine granulosa cells, and PGF-2 alpha output by porcine ovarian follicles (at 10 mu g/ml). Lavendustin (at 1 mu g/ml) had no significant effect on IGF-I release by porcine granulosa cells, on estradiol and cAMP output by rabbit granulosa cells, or on progesterone secretion by porcine follicles (at 10 mu g/ml). Inhibitory actions of lavendustin (at 10 mu g/ml) on estradiol secretion by porcine follicles were also found. Furthermore, lavendustin, like genistein, promoted the reinitiation and completion of meiosis in porcine oocytes. The present study demonstrates a predominantly stimulatory effect of TK inhibition on endocrine and generative processes in domestic animals. The majority of these effects are similar for both compounds, indirectly suggesting that their action is due to tyrosine kinase inhibition and protein kinase A-stimulation, rather than estrogenic activity. (C) 1997 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.