Stanniocalcin 1 is a potential physiological modulator of steroidogenesis in the swine ovarian follicle.

Granulosa cell steroidogenesis is partly regulated by intrafollicular events. Stanniocalcin 1 (STC1) has been recently qualified as a potential reproductive hormone whose expression by swine granulosa cells has been documented in our lab. Since one of the main molecular targets of STC1 is represented by cholesterol droplets, this substance could interfere with the steroidogenic pathway. Therefore, this study was aimed to verify possible STC1 modulatory effects on estradiol 17  (E2) and progesterone (P4) production by swine granulosa cells. Our data evidenced that STC1 inhibits E2 while stimulates P4 production thus suggesting that this peptide could be involved in terminal differentiation of granulosa cells.