title: Protein kinase G-mediated stimulation of basal Leydig cell steroidogenesis.
abstract: The androgen-secreting Leydig cells produce cGMP, but the pathways responsible for generation and actions of this intracellular messenger have been incompletely characterized in these cells. Here, we show the presence of mRNA transcripts for the membrane-bound and soluble guanylyl cyclases (sGC), the cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase 5, and the cGMP-dependent protein kinase I (PKG I) and PKG II in purified rat Leydig cells from adult animals. Stimulation of both guanylyl cyclases and inhibition of phosphodiesterase 5 in vitro were accompanied by elevations in cGMP and androgen production, whereas inhibition of sGC and PKG led to a decrease in steroidogenesis. The stimulatory action of cGMP on steroidogenesis was preserved in cells with inhibited cAMP-dependent protein kinases. Experiments with exogenously added substrates revealed the dependence of cGMP-induced progesterone and androgen synthesis on cholesterol but not on 22-OH cholesterol, pregnenolone, progesterone, and Delta(4)-androstenedione. Treatment with nitric oxide donor increased phosphorylation of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR). In contrast, inhibition of sGC and PKG, but not protein kinase A, significantly reduced StAR phosphorylation. These results suggest that cGMP contributes to the control of basal steroidogenesis in Leydig cells through the PKG-dependent modification of the StAR protein.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Reproductive Endocrinology and Signaling, DBE, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Dositeja Obradovica Square 2, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia.
authors.forename: Silvana A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Andric
authors.forename: Marija M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Janjic
authors.forename: Natasa J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Stojkov
authors.forename: Tatjana S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Kostic
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D017869:Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D054706:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 5 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009573:Nitrites / Q000378:metabolism; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011374:Progesterone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013739:Testosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein
chemical_list: D009573:Nitrites; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein; D013739:Testosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D017869:Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D054706:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 5; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; D006152:Cyclic GMP