title: A role of KIT receptor signaling for proliferation and differentiation of rat stem Leydig cells in vitro.
abstract: In the testis, KIT ligand (KITL, also called stem cell factor) is expressed by Sertoli cells and its receptor (c-kit, KIT) is expressed by spermatogonia and Leydig cells. Although KITL-KIT signaling is critical for the spermatogenesis, its roles in Leydig cell development during puberty are not clear. In the present study, we investigated effects of KITL on stem Leydig cell proliferation and differentiation. Using an in vitro culture system of seminiferous tubules from Leydig cell-depleted testis, we found that KITL increased the proliferation activity of putative stem Leydig cells at higher concentration (10 and 100 ng/ml). Low concentration (1 ng/ml) of KITL significantly induced the differentiation of stem Leydig cells via increasing the expression level of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (Star). In contrast, higher concentration (100 ng/ml) of KITL inhibited the differentiation of stem Leydig cells via inhibiting the steroidogenic enzyme (Cyp11a1, Cyp17a1, and Hsd17b3) expression levels. We cultured rat progenitor Leydig cells with KITL for 48 h and did not find any influence of KITL on the proliferation and androgen production of these cells. In conclusion, KITL is a growth factor that regulates the development of the stem Leydig cell.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shiwen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaomin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yiyan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Linxi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guimin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaoheng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Haolin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jingjing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: lianqingquanmz@163.com.
authors.forename: Qing-Quan
authors.initials: QQ
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: r_ge@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ren-Shan
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Ge
mesh_terms: D000728:Androgens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000378:metabolism*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D019089:Stem Cell Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D019089:Stem Cell Factor; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit
keywords: Differentiation; KITL; Proliferation; Stem leydig cells; Testosterone