Follicle-stimulating hormone and testosterone independently increase the production of androgen-binding protein by Sertoli cells in culture.
Dose-response curves were obtained for the production of androgen-binding protein (ABP) by Sertoli cells prepared from testes of 20-day-old rats and treated in culture with either FSH or testosterone (T). FSH stimulated ABP production by up to 3.5 times control levels. For NIH-FSH-S11, the ED50 was 3 ng/ml, and for highly purified ovine FSH, the ED50 was 0.066 ng/ml. Addition of T produced a stimulation of up to 3 times control levels; half-maximal response was obtained at a dose of 4 nM. The presence of small numbers of contaminating Leydig cells in some preparations resulted in production of endogenous T, especially when high doses of NIH-FSH, which contains some LH, were employed. A modified preparation method involving exposure of the cells to distilled water reduced the endogenous T production to low levels. In cultures of cells prepared in this way, addition of the antiandrogen cyproterone acetate at a concentration high enough to reduce fractional occupancy of androgen receptors by endogenous T to 0.014 or less had no effect on the stimulation by FSH of ABP production in the cultures. In contrast, cyproterone acetate inhibited stimulation by T of ABP production. We conclude that FSH and T act independently on Sertoli cells from immature rats to increase the secretion of ABP.
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003534:Cyproterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*
D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D004247:DNA; D003534:Cyproterone