D-Aspartate stimulation of testosterone synthesis in rat Leydig cells.
D-Aspartate increases human chorionic gonadotropin-induced testosterone production in purified rat Leydig cells. L-Aspartate, D-,L-glutamate or D-,L-asparagine could not substitute for D-aspartate and this effect was independent of glutamate receptor activation. Testosterone production was enhanced only in cells cultured with D-aspartate for more than 3 h. The increased production of testosterone was well correlated with the amounts of D-aspartate incorporated into the Leydig cells, and L-cysteine sulfinic acid, an inhibitor of D-aspartate uptake, suppressed both testosterone production and intracellular D-aspartate levels. D-Aspartate therefore is presumably taken up into cells to increase steroidogenesis. Intracellular D-aspartate probably acts on cholesterol translocation into the inner mitochondrial membrane, the rate-limiting process in steroidogenesis.
Nagata
Y
Y
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
Homma
H
H
Lee
J A
JA
Imai
K
K
D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003994:Bucladesine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003545:Cysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D013739:Testosterone; D003994:Bucladesine; D002784:Cholesterol; D003545:Cysteine; C013461:cysteine sulfinic acid