Stimulation of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) gene expression by D-aspartate in rat Leydig cells.
D-aspartate and human chorionic gonadotropin act synergistically to increase testosterone production in purified rat Leydig cells, and D-aspartate stimulates testosterone synthesis even in the absence of human chorionic gonadotropin stimulation. In addition, D-aspartate enhances steady-state cellular mRNA and protein levels of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, which is a key regulatory factor in gonadal and adrenal steroidogenesis. D-aspartate therefore appears to increase testosterone production in rat Leydig cells by stimulating steroidogenic acute regulatory protein gene expression. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating a direct effect of D-aspartate on gene expression in mammalian cells.
Nagata
Y
Y
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
Homma
H
H
Matsumoto
M
M
Imai
K
K
D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D013739:Testosterone / Q000502:physiology; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein
D010750:Phosphoproteins; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D013739:Testosterone