title: Specific binding and steroidogenetic effects of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) in Leydig cells of rats.
abstract: Atrial natriuretic factors (ANF) may influence testicular steroidogenesis. This study was conducted to evaluate the presence of specific ANF-binding on isolated adult rat Leydig cells and the effects of ANF on testosterone production. Indirect immunofluorescence technique demonstrates that adult rat Leydig cells possess specific ANF-binding and that rAP-II strongly stimulates the testosterone production. rAP-II exerts its maximal stimulatory effect on the testosterone secretion at low doses (10(-11) M), corresponding at the physiological plasmatic concentration in the adult normal rat. High doses (10(-9)-10(-7) M) of rAP-II show a decline in the stimulatory effect on testosterone secretion. Our data suggest that rAP-II influences the testicular steroidogenesis by a receptorial mechanism; the biphasic effect of rAP-II on the testosterone production may be related to an acute receptorial desensitization phenomena.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Patologia Medica III, Università di Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Foresta
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mioni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caretto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013739:Testosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D013739:Testosterone; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; C062524:atrial natriuretic factor prohormone (103-125)