Modulation of plasminogen activation by glucocorticoid hormones in the rat granulosa cell

Granulosa cells from immature rats primed with diethylstilbestrol (DES) showed a fivefold rise in the activity of secreted plasminogen activator (PA) in response to human FSH. The dose giving 50% of the maximum response (ED50) was 10 ng/ml. Glucocorticoid hormones significantly suppressed PA activity in both control cells and cells stimulated with FSH (ED50 = 50 nmol dexamethasone/l; 1 mumol corticosterone/l). Cortexolone (2.5 mumol/l) significantly ameliorated this suppression, indicating that the response to glucocorticoids is receptor-mediated. These data, together with the time delay required for glucocorticoids to take effect (5 h), suggest that glucocorticoids induce the production of a specific PA inhibitor in granulosa cells.