title: Regulation of rat Sertoli cell function by FSH: possible role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B pathway.
abstract: The FSH molecular mechanism of action is best recognized for its stimulation of the adenylyl cyclase/cAMP pathway via activation of a G protein. Recently, links between cAMP, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (PKB) signaling pathways in thyroid and granulosa cells have been observed. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible role of the PI3K/PKB pathway in FSH regulation of Sertoli cell function. Twenty-day-old rat Sertoli cell cultures were used. An increase in phosphorylated PKB (P-PKB) levels in response to FSH and dibutyryl-cAMP was observed. These increments in P-PKB levels were not observed in the presence of two PI3K inhibitors, wortmannin and Ly 294002. Inhibition of protein kinase A (PKA) by H89 did not decrease FSH stimulation of P-PKB levels. Taken together, these results indicate that FSH increases P-PKB levels in a PI3K-dependent and PKA-independent manner in rat Sertoli cells. In addition, wortmannin partially inhibited the ability of FSH to stimulate two well-known parameters of Sertoli cell function - transferrin secretion and lactate production - at doses equal to or lower than 0.1 microM. Related to lactate production, a decrease in FSH stimulation of lactate dehydrogenase activity and of basal and FSH-stimulated glucose uptake was observed in the presence of wortmannin. These metabolic changes were in most cases accompanied by changes in the levels of P-PKB. Altogether, these results suggest a meaningful role of the PI3K/PKB pathway in the mechanism of action of FSH in rat Sertoli cells.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas (CEDIE), Hospital de Niños 'R Gutiérrez', Gallo 1330, (1425) Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Meroni
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Riera
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Pellizzari
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Cigorraga
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D014168:Transferrin / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000242:Cyclic AMP; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D005947:Glucose; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D019344:Lactic Acid; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D014168:Transferrin