Nitric oxide production of rat Leydig and Sertoli cells is stimulated by round spermatid factor(s).
In this study, we provide evidence of cell-to-cell interaction between rat germ cells and Leydig or Sertoli cells in relation to nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression. As a result of being cultured in a round spermatid-conditioned medium (RSd-CM), NO production in both Leydig and Sertoli cells increased in proportion to the length of the culture period. iNOS mRNA expression in both types of cells also increased in a dose-dependent manner as a result of being cultured with RSd-CM. This increase was detected as early as 3 h and was maintained up to 24 h. In contrast, neither NO production nor iNOS mRNA increased in either type of cell following culture in a pachytene spermatocyte-conditioned medium (PS-CM). Our findings suggest that RSd may control NO production of Leydig and Sertoli cells. This cell-to-cell interaction may be an important mechanism of regulation of testicular function.
Fujisawa
M
M
Department of Urology, Kobe University School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan. masato@med.kobe-u.ac.jp
Tatsumi
N
N
Fujioka
H
H
Kanzaki
M
M
Okuda
Y
Y
Arakawa
S
S
Kamidono
S
S
D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D016207:Cytokines / Q000494:pharmacology; D006728:Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007700:Kinetics; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000235:genetics; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013087:Spermatids / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D016207:Cytokines; D006728:Hormones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat