Human follicular fluid contains the insulin-like growth factor-binding protein (IGFBP-1) synthesized by ovarian granulosa cells. We studied the regulation of IGFBP-1 production by the granulosa-luteal cells from the hyperstimulated follicles of patients attending an in vitro fertilization program. The cells were first allowed to attach and recover from the hyperstimulation for 2 days. Then, a protein kinase-C activator, 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), and adenylate cyclase activators, gonadotropins, FSH, hCG, cholera toxin, or prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were added to the cells. The gonadotropins failed to increase IGFBP-1 production, whereas it was enhanced by TPA and to a lesser extent by cholera toxin and PGE2. The maximal response to TPA occurred at the concentration of 1.0 ng/mL, and the enhancing effect of TPA was detected at 24 h. PGE2 stimulated IGFBP-1 production; the lowest effective concentration was 10(-8) mol/L. The mean highest response was 4.3-fold and occurred at the PGE2 concentration of 10(-5) mol/L. The effect of PGE2 on IGFBP-1 production became detectable at 24 h, and it continued to increase up to 72 h. PGE2 also increased granulosa-luteal cell progesterone production in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Incorporation of [35S]methionine into immunoreactive IGFBP-1, as detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide electrophoresis and fluorography, was also increased by TPA. This suggests that TPA accelerated the synthesis of IGFBP-1. Our results indicate that the production of IGFBP-1 by human granulosa-luteal cells can be regulated both via protein kinase-C- and adenylate cyclase-dependent pathways.