Vitamin E prolongs survival and function of porcine Leydig cells in culture.
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) is known to be required for testicular function but its action on specific testicular cells has not yet been studied. The present study used porcine Leydig cell cultures, in a hormone-supplemented medium, to study the effect of vitamin E (vit E) on Leydig cells. It was seen that the addition of vit E to the medium led to an increase in cell survival, lengthening the life span of the cultures from 3-4 days to more than a week. The Leydig cells maintained their LH/hCG receptors and responsiveness throughout this period as evidenced by an increase in testosterone (T) and prostaglandin secretion. The hCG stimulated T levels were synergistically increased in the presence of vitamin E, while basal levels of T secretion were not changed. Other secretory products of Leydig cells are prostaglandins E2 and F2 alpha. It was found that the addition of vit E inhibited both the basal prostaglandin levels and the stimulated levels by 90%. Maximal effects on all of these parameters were seen at 10 ng/ml vit E. It is obvious that vit E plays a critical role in maintaining porcine Leydig cells in primary cultures beyond the first 3 days. This vitamin seems to be involved both in steroidogenesis and in prostaglandin production in the Leydig cells. The exact mechanism of the action of vit E these two biosynthetic pathways remains to be determined.
D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D015237:Dinoprost; D015232:Dinoprostone; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011458:Prostaglandins E / Q000378:metabolism; D011460:Prostaglandins F / Q000378:metabolism; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000187:drug effects; D011974:Receptors, LH; D013552:Swine; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology*
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D011458:Prostaglandins E; D011460:Prostaglandins F; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011974:Receptors, LH; D014810:Vitamin E; D013739:Testosterone; D015237:Dinoprost; D015232:Dinoprostone