scholarly journals The role of Ca2+ in steroidogenesis in Leydig cells. Stimulation of intracellular free Ca2+ by lutropin (LH), luliberin (LHRH) agonist and cyclic AMP

1986 ◽  
Vol 236 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
M H F Sullivan ◽  
B A Cooke
Keyword(s):  
Cyclic Amp ◽  
Leydig Cells ◽  
Second Messenger ◽  
Lhrh Agonist ◽  
Dibutyryl Cyclic Amp ◽  
Testosterone Production ◽  
Agonist Action ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Stimulation Of

The requirements of purified rat Leydig cells for intra- and extra-cellular Ca2+ during steroidogenesis stimulated by LH (lutropin), cyclic AMP analogues and LHRH (luliberin) agonist were investigated. The intracellular Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) were measured by using the fluorescent Ca2+ chelator quin-2. The basal [Ca2+]i was found to be 89.4 +/- 16.6 nM (mean +/- S.D., n = 25). LH, 8-bromo cyclic AMP and dibutyryl cyclic AMP increased [Ca2+]i, by 300-500 nM at the highest concentrations of each stimulator, whereas LHRH agonist only increased [Ca2+]i by a maximum of approx. 60 nM. Low concentrations of LH (less than 1 pg/ml) and all concentrations of LHRH agonist increased testosterone without detectable changes in cyclic AMP. With amounts of LH greater than 1 pg/ml, parallel increases in cyclic AMP and [Ca2+]i occurred. The steroidogenic effect of the LHRH agonist was highly dependent on extracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]e), whereas LH effects were only decreased by 35% when [Ca2+]e was lowered from 2.5 nM to 1.1 microM. No increase in [Ca2+]i occurred with the LHRH agonist in the low-[Ca2+]e medium, whereas LH (100 ng/ml) gave an increase of 52 nM. It is concluded that [Ca2+]i can be modulated in rat Leydig cells by LH via mechanisms that are both independent of and dependent on cyclic AMP, whereas LHRH-agonist action on [Ca2+]i is independent of cyclic AMP. The evidence obtained suggests that, at sub-maximal rates of testosterone production, Ca2+, rather than cyclic AMP, is the second messenger, whereas for maximum steroidogenesis both Ca2+- and cyclic-AMP-dependent pathways may be involved.

Effect of lanthanum on the inotropic response of isoproterenol: role of the superficially bound calcium

1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (9) ◽  
pp. 1106-1112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad B. Fawzi ◽  
John H. McNeill
Keyword(s):  
Cyclic Amp ◽  
Positive Inotropic Effect ◽  
Direct Action ◽  
Maximum Response ◽  
Inotropic Response ◽  
Guinea Pig Heart ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Stimulation Of ◽  
Calcium Pool

Mammalian myocardial contractility is believed to be related to the amount of calcium contained in a highly labile superficial calcium pool. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of such sites in the positive inotropic effect of isoproterenol. Lanthanum, an ion that is restricted to the extracellular space and that displaces the superficially bound calcium, was selected as a tool for this investigation. In Langendorff preparations of the guinea pig heart, lanthanum decreased the basal contractility index (+ dP/dtmax) in a concentration-dependent fashion (0.05–3μM) and blocked the inotropic response of isoproterenol in a noncompetitive manner (0.25–3 μM). Three-micromolar lanthanum (i) reduced basal contractility and the maximum response to isoproterenol by 97 and 95%, respectively, (ii) had no significant effect (p > 0.05) on basal and isoproterenol-induced cyclic AMP levels, and (iii) had no effect on the Kd of [3H]nitrendipine binding, but reduced the Bmax by 31%. While 1 μM lanthanum reduced basal contractility and the maximum response to isoproterenol by 90 and 70%, respectively, it had no effect on [3H]nitrendipine binding. These results suggest that the effects of such low concentrations of lanthanum (≤3 μM) are not related to a direct action on the calcium channels and are not mediated by an inhibition of isoproterenol stimulation of the enzyme adenylate cyclase. Therefore, one interpretation of these results suggests that superficially bound calcium is required for the inotropic response of isoproterenol.

scholarly journals Effects of calmodulin and lipoxygenase inhibitors on LH (lutropin)- and LHRH (luliberin)-agonist-stimulated steroidogenesis in rat Leydig cells

1985 ◽  
Vol 232 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
M H Sullivan ◽  
B A Cooke
Keyword(s):  
Arachidonic Acid ◽  
Leydig Cells ◽  
Acid Metabolism ◽  
Arachidonic Acid Metabolism ◽  
Ionophore A23187 ◽  
Lhrh Agonist ◽  
Lipoxygenase Pathway ◽  
Lipoxygenase Inhibitors ◽  
Testosterone Production

The results of this study, carried out with purified rat Leydig cells, indicate that there are no major differences in the stimulating effects of lutropin (LH) and luliberin (LHRH) agonists on steroidogenesis via mechanisms that are dependent on Ca2+. This was demonstrated by using inhibitors of calmodulin and the lipoxygenase pathways of arachidonic acid metabolism. All three calmodulin inhibitors used (calmidazolium, trifluoperazine and chlorpromazine) were shown to block LH- and LHRH-agonist-stimulated steroidogenesis. This probably occurred at the step of cholesterol transport to the mitochondria. Similarly, three lipoxygenase inhibitors (nordihydroguaiaretic acid, BW755c and benoxaprofen), inhibited both LH- and LHRH-agonist-stimulated steroidogenesis. The amounts of the inhibitors required were similar for LH- and LHRH-agonist-stimulated steroidogenesis. Steroidogenesis stimulated by the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 was also inhibited, but higher concentrations of the inhibitors were required. Indomethacin (a cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor) increased LHRH-agonist-stimulated steroidogenesis;this is consistent with the role of the products of arachidonic acid metabolism via the alternative, lipoxygenase, pathway. The potentiation of LH-stimulated testosterone production by LHRH agonist was unaffected by indomethacin or by lipoxygenase inhibitors at concentrations that inhibited LH-stimulated testosterone production by 75-100%. It was not possible to eliminate a role of calmodulin in modulating the potentiation, although higher concentrations of the inhibitors were generally required to negate the potentiation than to inhibit LH- or LHRH-agonist-stimulated testosterone production.

scholarly journals Regulation of the synthesis of lutropin-induced protein in rat testis Leydig cells

1978 ◽  
Vol 170 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix H. A. Janszen ◽  
Brian A. Cooke ◽  
Maria J. A. Van Driel ◽  
Henk J. Van Der Molen
Keyword(s):  
Protein Synthesis ◽  
Cyclic Amp ◽  
Leydig Cells ◽  
Actinomycin D ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Phosphodiesterase Inhibitor ◽  
Dibutyryl Cyclic Amp ◽  
Rat Testis ◽  
Stimulation Of

The mechanism of action of lutropin on the stimulation of the synthesis of a specific lutropin-induced protein in rat testis Leydig cells was investigated. Lutropin-induced protein has a mol.wt. of approx. 21000 and is detected by labelling the Leydig-cell proteins with [35S]methionine, followed by separation by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and radioautography of the dried gel. The incorporation of35S into lutropin-induced protein was used as an estimate for the synthesis of the protein. Incubation of Leydig cells with dibutyryl cyclic AMP or cholera toxin also resulted in the stimulation of synthesis of the protein. Synthesis of lutropin-induced protein, when maximally stimulated with 100ng of lutropin/ml, could not be stimulated further by addition of dibutyryl cyclic AMP. Addition of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, further increased synthesis of the protein in the presence of a submaximal dose of lutropin (10ng/ml) but not in the absence of lutropin or with maximal amounts of lutropin (100 and 1000ng/ml). Actinomycin D prevented the effect of lutropin on the stimulation of lutropin-induced protein synthesis when added immediately or 1h after the start of the incubation, but not when added after 5–6h. This is interpreted as reflecting that, after induction of mRNA coding for lutropin-induced protein, lutropin had no influence on the synthesis of the protein in the presence of actinomycin D. Synthesis of the protein was also stimulated in vivo by injection of choriogonadotropin into rats 1 day after hypophysectomy, and the time course of this stimulation of lutropin-induced protein synthesis in vivo was similar to that obtained by incubating Leydig cells in vitro with lutropin. From these results it is concluded that stimulation of lutropin-induced protein synthesis by lutropin is most probably mediated by cyclic AMP and involves synthesis of mRNA.

scholarly journals The role of calcium in luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist (ICI 118630)-stimulated steroidogenesis in rat Leydig cells

1984 ◽  
Vol 218 (2) ◽  
pp. 621-624 ◽  
Author(s):  
M H F Sullivan ◽  
B A Cooke
Keyword(s):  
Luteinizing Hormone ◽  
Cyclic Amp ◽  
Leydig Cells ◽  
Calcium Ionophore ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Lhrh Agonist ◽  
Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone ◽  
Releasing Hormone ◽  
Rat Testis ◽  
Testosterone Production

The luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist ICI 118630 was found to increase testosterone production in purified rat testis Leydig cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, but no consistent changes in cyclic AMP levels were detectable. The stimulation of steroidogenesis by LHRH agonist was found to be dependent on the concentration of Ca2+ in the incubation medium; at least 1 mM was required. The calcium ionophore A23187 mimicked the effects of the LHRH agonist on steroidogenesis, and addition of both compounds together did not further increase testosterone production. The calcium ionophore caused a small increase in cyclic AMP which was independent of the concentration of the ionophore and of the calcium concentrations. The evidence obtained in this study indicates that LHRH agonist-stimulated steroidogenesis in rat testis Leydig cells is primarily mediated by calcium and not cyclic AMP.

scholarly journals Correlation of protein kinase activation and testosterone production after stimulation of Leydig cells with luteinizing hormone

1976 ◽  
Vol 160 (3) ◽  
pp. 439-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
B A Cooke ◽  
M L Lindh ◽  
F H A Janszen
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Luteinizing Hormone ◽  
Cyclic Amp ◽  
Protein Kinases ◽  
Leydig Cell ◽  
Leydig Cells ◽  
Kinase Activation ◽  
Testosterone Production ◽  
Protein Kinase Activation ◽  
Stimulation Of

The effect of different doses of luteinizing hormone on activation of protein kinases, cyclic AMP and testosterone production was studied in purified rat testis Leydig-cell preparations in the presence of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (a phosphodiesterase inhibitor). In addition, the nature of the protein kinases present in these cells and other tissues was investigated. The following results were obtained. 1. With all the amounts of luteinizing hormone used (0.1-1000 ng/ml), both activation of protein kinase and stimulation of testosterone production were demonstrated. With the lowest amount of luteinizing hormone (0.1 ng/ml), an 8.4±0.9% (S.E.M.,n=6) stimulation of protein kinase activation occurred, increasing to 100% with 1000 ng/ml, compared with 3.2±1.0%(S.E.M.,n=7) and 100% stimulation of testosterone production with 0.1 and 100 ng/ml respectively. 2. With amounts of luteinizing hormone up to 1 ng/ml (which gave half-maximal stimulation of testosterone production) no detectable increases in net cyclic AMP production were obtained. With higher amounts of luteinizing hormone, cyclic AMP production increased, but maximal production was not reached with 1000 ng/ml. 3. Two isoenzymic forms of protein kinase were present in Leydig cells and seminiferous tubules; type I was eluted with 0.075 M-and type II with 0.22-0.25 M-NaCl from DEAE-cellulose columns. 4. The protein kinase activity was not affected by the presence of erythrocytes in the Leydig-cell preparation, but varied depending on the type of histone used as substrate (histone F2b > mixed > histone F1).

scholarly journals The mechanism of action of lutropin on regulator protein(s) involved in Leydig-cell steroidogenesis

1979 ◽  
Vol 184 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian A. Cooke ◽  
L. Monica Lindh ◽  
Henk J. Van Der Molen
Keyword(s):  
Protein Synthesis ◽  
Cyclic Amp ◽  
Leydig Cell ◽  
Half Life ◽  
Leydig Cells ◽  
Protein Synthesis Inhibitor ◽  
Dibutyryl Cyclic Amp ◽  
Testosterone Production ◽  
Short Half Life ◽  
Regulator Protein

The dependence on lutropin of the synthesis of a proposed short-half-life protein regulator involved in Leydig-cell steroidogenesis was investigated. This was carried out by determining the effect of the protein-synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide, added before and during incubations with lutropin (and/or dibutyryl cyclic AMP), on the rate of testosterone production in suspensions of purified Leydig cells from adult rat testes. The Leydig cells were preincubated in Eagle's medium for 2.5h followed by 30min incubation with and without cycloheximide. The inhibitor was removed by washing the cells and then lutropin was added and testosterone concentrations were determined after incubation of the cells at 32°C. No significant effect of cycloheximide pretreatment on lutropin-stimulated steroidogenesis was found during 60min incubation. This was in contrast with the complete inhibiting effect of cycloheximide when it was added with the lutropin. The pretreatment experiments with cycloheximide were repeated in the presence of dibutyryl cyclic AMP and elipten phosphate (to inhibit cholesterol side-chain cleavage) followed by incubation with lutropin. After 5, 10, 20 and 60min of incubation, testosterone concentrations were 61±3, 46±3, 27±4 and 18±4% lower than in the cells pretreated without cycloheximide respectively (means±s.e.m., n=4–6). In the cells not pretreated with cycloheximide and in the absence of lutropin, testosterone production increased from 1.36±0.5 to 36.5±1.0ng/106 cells during 20min of incubation, after which no further increase occurred. Pretreatment of the cells with cycloheximide decreased these testosterone concentrations by 65, 46, 42 and 36% in the 5, 10, 20 and 60min incubations respectively (mean values, n=2–4). It is apparent from these results that inhibition of steroidogenesis only occurs if protein synthesis is inhibited in the presence of lutropin or cyclic AMP. A new hypothesis is put forward to explain these findings: it is proposed that lutropin affects the stability of a precursor of a regulator protein by converting it from a stable (inactive) to an unstable (active) form with a short half-life.

scholarly journals Effect of lutropin on phosphorylation of endogenous proteins in testis Leydig cells. Correlation with testosterone production

1977 ◽  
Vol 168 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian A. Cooke ◽  
Monica L. Lindh ◽  
Felix H. A. Janszen
Keyword(s):  
Cyclic Amp ◽  
Leydig Cells ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Molecular Weights ◽  
Testosterone Production ◽  
Hypophysectomized Rats ◽  
Endogenous Proteins ◽  
Stimulation Of

The effect of lutropin on phosphorylation of endogenous proteins in testis Leydig cells was investigated, by incubating purified Leydig cells with lutropin and [32P]Pi followed by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-slab gel electrophoresis of the [32P]phosphoproteins. The radioactivity of the proteins was quantified by densitometry of the radio-autograms obtained. The following results were obtained. 1. Lutropin increased the amount of32 P incorporated into three proteins (A, B and C) with apparent mol.wts. of 14300, 57000 and 77600 respectively. 2. The increase in incorporation of32P into these proteins was detectable within 5min, reaching a maximum in approx. 20min. 3. The32P incorporated into protein B (but not proteins A and C) was significantly increased with 0.1 and 1.0ng of lutropin/ml. Incorporation of32P into all three proteins was significantly increased with 10ng of lutropin/ml, reaching a maximum with 100ng/ml. 4. Testosterone production was significantly increased with 1ng of lutropin/ml, and between 10 and 1000ng/ml the degree of stimulation of testosterone production and incorporation of32P into proteins A, B and C was similar. 5. Cyclic AMP production was significantly increased with 10ng of lutropin/ml and had not reached a maximum with 1000ng/ml. 6. In Leydig cells isolated from hypophysectomized rats 3h after injection of choriogonadotropin in vivo, phosphoproteins with the same molecular weights as proteins A, B and C were found. No further increases in incorporation of32P into these proteins were obtained when lutropin was added to the Leydig cells in vitro. 7. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP (but not follitropin or testosterone) also stimulated the incorporation of32P into proteins A, B and C in Leydig cells.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document