Effects of concanavalin A on the progesterone production by bovine steroidogenic luteal cells in vitro

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of concanavalin A (CONA) on the progesterone (P4) production by bovine steroidogenic luteal cells (LCs) in vitro. Luteal cells were collected during the mid-luteal stage (at 10-12 days following ovulation) and processed in the laboratory. Luteal cells were grown for 7 days in a humid atmosphere with 5% CO2, with or without 10% foetal bovine serum, and were subjected to the following treatments: control: no treatment; CONA (10 mu g/ml); LH (100 mu g/ml); CONA + LH; LH (100 mu g/ml) + prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) (10 ng/ml); CONA + LH + PGF2 alpha. Samples of the culture media were collected on days 1 (D1) and 7 (D7) for P4 quantification. The cells were counted on D7 of culture. Differences between treatments were considered statistically significant at p <.05. Culture in the presence of CONA decreased the P4-secreting capacity of LCs on D7 of culture, particularly in the absence of serum. The cell numbers did not change between treatments.