title: Effects of testosterone on hormonal content and calcium-dependent basal secretion in female rat pituitary cells.
abstract: In vivo and in vitro effects of elevated androgens on agonist-induced gonadotropin secretion have been addressed previously. Here we investigated the effects of testosterone on hormonal content and basal (in the absence of agonists) hormone release in pituitary lactotrophs, somatotrophs and gonadotrophs from female rats. Furthermore we tested the hypothesis that testosterone action is dependent on the pattern of spontaneous and Bay K 8644 (a L-type calcium channel agonist) -induced calcium signalling. Mixed anterior pituitary cells were cultured in steroid containing or depleted media, and testosterone (1pM to 10nM) was added for 48h. Cells were studied for their spontaneous and Bay K 8644-induced calcium signalling pattern and total hormone levels (release and hormonal content). In lactotrophs, somatotrophs and gonadotrophs testosterone did not affect the pattern of spontaneous calcium signalling. Bay K 8644-induced calcium signalling and hormone release were not affected by testosterone. In both steroid-depleted and -containing medium, testosterone inhibited prolactin (PRL), luteinizing hormone (LH) and growth hormone (GH) cellular content and release in a dose-dependent manner, with IC(50)s in a sub-nanomolar concentration range. These results indicate that testosterone inhibits basal hormone release from lactotrophs, somatotrophs and gonadotrophs without affecting intracellular calcium signalling. This action of testosterone is not dependent on the presence of other steroid hormones.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University Luebeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Luebeck, Germany. jmweiss1@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Juergen M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Stanko S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Stojilkovic
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Diedrich
authors.forename: Olaf
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ortmann
mesh_terms: D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology*; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010907:Pituitary Hormones / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011388:Prolactin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D010907:Pituitary Hormones; D013739:Testosterone; D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D013006:Growth Hormone; D002118:Calcium