Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone-I and -II stimulate steroidogenesis in prepubertal murine Leydig cells in vitro.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect and mechanism of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) on murine Leydig cell steroidogenesis.


METHODS
Purified murine Leydig cells were treated with GnRH-I and -II agonists, and testosterone production and steroidogenic enzyme expressions were determined.


RESULTS
GnRH-I and -II agonists significantly stimulated murine Leydig cell steroidogenesis 60%-80% in a dose- and time-dependent manner (P < 0.05). The mRNA expressions of steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein, P450scc, 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD), but not 17alpha-hydroxylase or 17beta-HSD, were significantly stimulated by both GnRH agonists with a 1.5- to 3-fold increase (P < 0.05). However, only 3beta-HSD protein expression was induced by both GnRH agonists, with a 1.6- to 2-fold increase (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
GnRH directly stimulated murine Leydig cell steroidogenesis by activating 3b-HSD enzyme expression.
Lin
Yung-Ming
YM
Department of Urology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan, China.
Liu
Ming-Yie
MY
Poon
Song-Ling
SL
Leu
Sew-Fen
SF
Huang
Bu-Miin
BM
D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002786:Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000819:agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012313:RNA / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000502:physiology*; D013256:Steroids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein
D010750:Phosphoproteins; D013256:Steroids; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013739:Testosterone; D012313:RNA; D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D002786:Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme