Interactive Effect of Corticosterone and Lactate on Regulation of Testosterone Production in Rat Leydig Cells

Chih Chieh Chen, Chien Wei Chen, Po Han Lin, Jou Chun Chou, Ting Chun Weng, Cai Yun Jian, Sindy Hu, Wei Ho Lai, Fu Kong Lieu*, Shyi Wu Wang, Paulus S. Wang

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Article peer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

The increasing intensity of exercise enhanced corticosterone and lactate production in both humans and rodents. Our previous studies also demonstrated that lactate could stimulate testosterone production in vivo and in vitro. However, the production of testosterone in response to combined corticosterone and lactate on Leydig cells, and underlying molecular mechanisms are remained unclear. This study investigated the changes in testosterone levels of Leydig cells upon exposure to lactate, corticosterone or combination of both, and revealed the detailed mechanisms. Leydig cells were isolated from rat testes, and treated with different concentrations of lactate (2.5–20 mM), cortiosterone (10−9–10−4 M) and lactate plus corticosterone. The production of testosterone were assayed by radioimmunoassay, and the key molecular proteins, including luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR), protein kinase A (PKA), steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), and cholesterol P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc) involved in testosterone production were performed by Western blot. Results showed that testosterone levels were significantly increased with lactate, while decresed with corticosterone and lactate plus corticosterone treatment. Protein expressions of LHR and P450scc were upregulated with lactate treatment. However, PKA and P450scc were downregulated by lactate plus corticosterone treatment. This downregulation was followed by decreased testoterone levels in Leydig cells. Furthermore, acetylated cAMP, which activates testosterone production was increased with lactate, but not altered by conrtiosterone. Our findings conclude that corticosterone may interfere with lactate, and restrict lactate-stimulated testosterone production in Leydig cells. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 2135–2144, 2017.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2135-2144
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Cellular Physiology
Volume232
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - 08 2017

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© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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