title: Somatomedin C/insulin-like growth factor 1: an intratesticular differentiative factor of Leydig cells?
abstract: By using immature porcine Sertoli cells cultured in serum-free defined medium, we report that medium conditioned by Sertoli cells contained immunoreactive somatomedin C/insulin-like growth factor 1 (SmC/IGF1) measured following acidic gel filtration. The release of this immunoreactive SmC/IGF1 was slightly increased following Sertoli cell treatment with fibroblast growth factor but not with follicle-stimulating hormone or growth hormone. On the other hand, human biosynthetic SmC/IGF1 exerts a potent stimulatory effect on Leydig cell differentiated functions such as LH/hCG-binding (greater than 4-fold) and hCG-stimulated testosterone secretion (greater than 15-fold). This effect was dose and time dependent and the maximal increase of Leydig cell function was observed following 48 h treatment with 50 ng/ml SmC/IGF1. The steroidogenic action of the peptide was not related to Leydig cell growth since both cell number and 3H-thymidine incorporation into DNA were not or slightly (approximately equal to 1.5-fold) increased in the optimal conditions with SmC/IGF1 treatment (100 ng/ml for 48 h). Moreover, the concomitant treatment of Leydig cells by both arabinoside C (10(-5) M), a DNA synthesis inhibitor, and SmC/IGF1 did not modify the stimulating effect of the peptide on LH/hCG-binding and hCG-stimulated testosterone production. Taken together, the present findings support the concept that Sertoli cell derived SmC/IGF1 could be a potent regulator of Leydig cell differentiated functions.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biochimie, Hôpital Sainte-Eugénie, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, Pierre-Bénite, France.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Morera
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Chauvin
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Peretti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Binoux
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benahmed
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000378:metabolism; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000502:physiology*; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013002:Somatomedins / Q000502:physiology*; D013552:Swine; D013739:Testosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D013002:Somatomedins; D013739:Testosterone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone