The stimulation of progesterone synthesis in bovine corpora lutea by adenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate (1)

The addition of cyclic adenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate, (3', 5'-AMP) at a concentration of 0.02 M to incubating slices of bovine corpus luteum significantly stimulates steroid synthesis. Substances which are chemically related to 3', 5'-AMP do not stimulate steroidogenesis in this tissue, thereby establishing a certain degree of specificity for the action of this cyclic nucleotide. The addition of luteinizing hormone (LH) to incubations maximally stimulated by 3', 5'-AMP does not lead to a further increase in steroidogenesis. In regard to the utilization of acetate-1- 14C and cholesterol-7- 3H for progesterone synthesis, the 3', 5'-AMP closely resembles that of the pituitary gonadotropin. These results are in accord with the proposal that 3', 5'-AMP is a mediator of the action of LH on steroido-genesis in the bovine corpus luteum.