title: Role of gonadotropin and Leydig cell-secreted factors in the control of testicular macrophage activities in the wall lizard Hemidactylus flaviviridis.
abstract: The present in vitro study for the first time demonstrates the endocrine and paracrine control of testicular macrophage activities in ectodermic vertebrates. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) increased phagocytosis and superoxide production by macrophages. In regard to paracrine control, non-activated Leydig cell-conditioned medium (LCCM) decreased both the activities, whereas FSH-preactivated LCCM had differential effects: inhibitory on phagocytosis and stimulatory on superoxide production. However, FSH-activated LCCM, in addition to superoxide production, also enhanced phagocytosis. After heat inactivation, FSH-activated LCCM inhibited both the activities. Addition of FSH resulted in stimulation of phagocytosis, while partially restored the superoxide production. It can be speculated that androgen in heat-inactivated FSH-activated LCCM, in the presence of FSH, instead of inhibitory had stimulatory effect on phagocytosis, but remained inhibitory to superoxide production. Further, FSH-induced Leydig cell-secreted non-steroidal heat-labile factors appear to have stimulatory effect on superoxide production. This was corroborated by experiments with dihydrotestosterone in presence/absence of FSH.
authors.affiliation: Comparative Immuno-endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007, India.
authors.forename: Uniza W
authors.initials: UW
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Umesh
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D008116:Lizards / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010587:Phagocytosis; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism