Calcium ions positively modulate follicle-stimulating hormone- and exogenous cyclic 3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate-driven transcription of the P450_scc gene in porcine granulosa cells

Given the evident modulation of FSH-induced steroidogenesis by Ca²⁺ in granulosa cells, we here test the hypothesis that Ca²⁺ controls expression of the enzymatically rate-limiting cytochrome P450_scc (CYP11A) gene. To test this postulate, we quantitated the ability of Ca²⁺ to regulate: 1) transcriptional activity of a transiently transfected luciferase reporter gene driven by a 2.32-kb 5′-upstream fragment of the porcine P450_scc gene promoter region; and 2) accumulation of endogenous P450_scc transcripts in primary monolayer cultures of porcine granulosa cells. To this end, granulosa cells were stimulated for 4h with FSH (15 ng/ml, NIDDK-oFSH-20) or 8-Bromo-cAMP (8 Br-cAMP, 1 mM) in serum-free medium containing either 1.8 mM Ca²⁺ or no added Ca²⁺ with 100 μM EGTA or 100 μ CoCl₂. In the presence of extracellular Ca²⁺, FSH and 8 Br-cAMP stimulated expression of the transfected P450_scc promoter-reporter fusion construct by 5.6 ± 1.1 and 3.6 ± 0.67-fold, respectively over Ca²⁺-containing unstimulated control (P ≤ 0.04, n = 5-6 experiments). The foregoing two agonists augmented 4-h progesterone production by cultured granulosa cells by 1.8 ± 0.11 and 1.6 ± 0.16-fold, respectively (P ≤ 0.001 for FSH and P ≤ 0.01 for 8 Br-cAMP). FSH and 8 Br-cAMP also significantly elevated endogenous P450_scc transcript levels as measured by homologous solution-hybridization RNase protection assay; i.e. by 3.1 ± 0.49 and 2.9 ± 0.45-fold, respectively (P ≤ 0.001). In Ca²⁺-free/EGTA-supplemented medium, basal luciferase reporter-gene activity and endogenous P450_scc messenger RNA accumulation in granulosa cells declined to 34 ± 12% and 78 ± 12%, respectively, of corresponding values in control (unstimulated Ca²⁺-containing) cultures. Extracellular Ca²⁺ deprivation inhibited the stimulatory effect of FSH (and 8 Br-cAMP) on P450_scc promoter-luciferase reporter expression to 58 ± 30% (and 58 ± 23%), and restrained endogenous P450_scc message accumulation to 86 ± 15% (and 96 ±18%) of the value in Ca²⁺-containing control. Extracellular Ca²⁺ withdrawal suppressed FSH (and 8 Br-cAMP)-driven progesterone production over 4 h to basal levels but did not alter FSH-stimulated cAMP accumulation by granulosa cells. Ca²⁺-deprived cells exposed to serum-containing media regained P450_scc responsiveness to both agonists. Antagonism of cellular uptake of Ca²⁺ and other divalent cations via administration of cobalt chloride (100 μM) inhibited FSH and 8 Br-cAMP's stimulation of endogenous (but not exogenous promoter-driven) P450_scc gene expression. In contrast, granulosa-cell concentrations of messenger RNA's encoding sterol-carrier protein-2 (SCP-2) and the low density lipoprotein receptor were not altered by Ca²⁺ withdrawal. In summary, uptake of extracellular Ca²⁺ by porcine granulosa cells significantly potentiates transactivation of the endogenously expressed and exogenously transfected P450scc gene by FSH and 8 Br-cAMP. The agonistic impact of Ca²⁺ on P450_scc promoter activity is requisite downstream of FSH-induced cAMP second-messenger signaling.