Inhibitory actions of mibefradil on steroidogenesis in mouse Leydig cells： involvement of Ca^2＋ entry via the T-type Ca^2＋ channel  

作　　者：Jae-Ho Lee Jong-Uk Kim Changhoon Kim Churl K. Min 

机构地区：[1]Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering, Dankook University, Cheonan 330714, South Korea [2]Department of Molecular Sciences and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon 443749, South Korea [3]Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA [4]Department of Biological Sciences, Aj ou University, Suwon 443749, South Korea

出　　处：《Asian Journal of Andrology》2010年第6期807-813,共7页亚洲男性学杂志（英文版）

摘　　要：Intracellular cAMP and Ca^2＋ are involved in the regulation of steroidogenic activity in Leydig cells, which coordinate responses to luteinizing hormone （LH） and human ehorionic gonadotropin （hCG）. However, the identification of Ca^2＋ entry implicated in Leydig cell steroidogenesis is not well defined. The objective of this study was to identify the type of Ca^2＋ channel that affects Leydig cell steroidogenesis. In vitro steroidogenesis in the freshly dissociated Leydig cells of mice was induced by hCG incubation. The effects of mibefradil （a putative T-type Ca^2＋ channel blocker） on steroidogenesis were assessed using reverse transcription （RT）-polymerase chain reaction analysis for the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein （STAR） mRNA expression and testosterone production using radioimmunoassay. In the presence of 1.0 mmol L-1 extracellular Ca^2＋, hCG at 1 to 100 IU noticeably elevated both StAR mRNA level and testosterone secretion （P 〈 0.05）, and the stimulatory effects of hCG were markedly diminished by mibefradil in a dose-dependent manner （P 〈 0.05）. Moreover; the hCG-induced increase in testosterone production was completely removed when external Ca^2＋ was omitted, implying that Ca entry is needed for hCG-induced steroidogenesis. Furthermore, a patch-clamp study revealed the presence of mibefradil-sensitive Ca^24- currents seen at a concentration range that nearly paralleled those inhibiting steroidogenesis. Collectively, Our data provide evidence that hCG-stimulated steroidogenesis is mediated at least in part by Ca^2＋ entry carried out by the T-type Ca^2＋ channel in the Leydig cells of mice.Intracellular cAMP and Ca^2＋ are involved in the regulation of steroidogenic activity in Leydig cells, which coordinate responses to luteinizing hormone （LH） and human ehorionic gonadotropin （hCG）. However, the identification of Ca^2＋ entry implicated in Leydig cell steroidogenesis is not well defined. The objective of this study was to identify the type of Ca^2＋ channel that affects Leydig cell steroidogenesis. In vitro steroidogenesis in the freshly dissociated Leydig cells of mice was induced by hCG incubation. The effects of mibefradil （a putative T-type Ca^2＋ channel blocker） on steroidogenesis were assessed using reverse transcription （RT）-polymerase chain reaction analysis for the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein （STAR） mRNA expression and testosterone production using radioimmunoassay. In the presence of 1.0 mmol L-1 extracellular Ca^2＋, hCG at 1 to 100 IU noticeably elevated both StAR mRNA level and testosterone secretion （P 〈 0.05）, and the stimulatory effects of hCG were markedly diminished by mibefradil in a dose-dependent manner （P 〈 0.05）. Moreover; the hCG-induced increase in testosterone production was completely removed when external Ca^2＋ was omitted, implying that Ca entry is needed for hCG-induced steroidogenesis. Furthermore, a patch-clamp study revealed the presence of mibefradil-sensitive Ca^24- currents seen at a concentration range that nearly paralleled those inhibiting steroidogenesis. Collectively, Our data provide evidence that hCG-stimulated steroidogenesis is mediated at least in part by Ca^2＋ entry carried out by the T-type Ca^2＋ channel in the Leydig cells of mice.

关 键 词：Leydig cells MIBEFRADIL STAR steroidogenesis T-type Ca^2＋ channel 

分 类 号：Q492.4[生物学—生理学] S865.23[农业科学—野生动物驯养]