title: The effects of calcium ionophore A23187 on interstitial cell steroidogenesis.
abstract: The present study was performed to evaluate the effects of calcium ionophore A23187 on adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) and testosterone production in rat interstitial cells. Interstitial cells were incubated in Krebs-Ringer solution with varying amounts of luteinizing hormone, pregnenolone, or A23187. Cyclic AMP and testosterone were measured in the incubation medium after 4 h incubation. A23187 (0.01--10 microgram/ml) caused progressive increases of cyclic AMP formation (from 0.18 +/- 0.02 (S.E.) pmol/10(6) cells for the control of 0.42 +/- 0.02 pmol/10(6) cells, P less than 0.025), while testosterone production remained unaltered. When varying amounts of A23187 were added concomitantly with luteinizing hormone (5 IU/l), A23187 inhibited luteinizing hormone-induced steroidogenesis in a dose-dependent manner, but it had no effect on luteinizing hormone-induced cyclic AMP formation. When pregnenolone (10(-6) M) was added to the cells, testosterone formation increased from 1.50 +/- 0.22 to 8.46 +/- 1.65 ng/10(6) cells. A23187 (1 microgram/ml) had no discernable effect on the conversion of pregnenolone to testosterone. The main effect of increased cytosol calcium on steroidogenesis seems to be at the steps beyond adenylate cyclase-cyclic AMP. These results suggest that calcium is important for the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone, while the steps beyond pregnenolone are relatively independent of Ca2+.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000001:Calcimycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D011284:Pregnenolone / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013739:Testosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000001:Calcimycin; D013739:Testosterone; D011284:Pregnenolone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D002118:Calcium