Endocrinology, Vol 115, 121-128, Copyright © 1984 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Estrogen and androgen receptors in Sertoli, Leydig, myoid, and epithelial cells: effects of time in culture and cell density

AM Nakhla, JP Mather, OA Janne and CW Bardin

Estrogen and androgen receptors were measured in the cytosol prepared from established cell lines of Sertoli, Leydig, myoid, and endothelial cells as well as in primary Sertoli cell-enriched cultures. Estradiol- binding sites with characteristics of estrogen receptors were identified in established lines of Sertoli cells from rat [43 +/- 7 (mean +/- SEM) fmol/mg protein; Kd = 1.1 nM] and mouse (34 +/- 4 fmol/mg protein; Kd = 0.9 nM). The binding sites were estrogen specific, since only estradiol and diethylstilbestrol, but not testosterone, progesterone, or dexamethasone, competed with [3H]estradiol for binding sites in the cytosol prepared from the cell lines. Exposure of the cells to estradiol (10 nM) resulted in accumulation of estrogen receptors in nuclei, with maximal uptake by 30 min. The estrogen receptor concentration was very low or undetectable (less than 10 fmol/mg protein) in primary cultures of rat Sertoli cells that were cultured for 3 days. However, after 15 days in culture, the estrogen receptor concentration increased and reached levels similar to those in the established Sertoli cell lines. No estrogen receptors were measurable in myoid or endothelial cells. By contrast, androgen receptors were identified in all five cell lines and in primary Sertoli cells cultured for 3 and 15 days. The content of both estrogen and androgen receptors in the mouse Sertoli cell line increased as a function of cell density. We conclude from these studies that androgen receptors are present in all of the testicular somatic cell lines examined and in primary Sertoli cells; estrogen receptors are present in Sertoli cell and Leydig cell lines, but not in myoid and endothelial cell lines; the low estrogen receptor concentration in Sertoli cells cultured for 3 days increases 4-fold after 15 days in culture; and cell density is a major regulator of the concentrations of estrogen and androgen receptors in the Sertoli cell line.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. F. Sneddon, N. Walther, and P. T. K. Saunders Expression of Androgen and Estrogen Receptors in Sertoli Cells: Studies Using the Mouse SK11 Cell Line Endocrinology, December 1, 2005; 146(12): 5304 - 5312. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Aravindakshan and D. G. Cyr Nonylphenol Alters Connexin 43 Levels and Connexin 43 Phosphorylation Via an Inhibition of the p38-Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Pathway Biol Reprod, May 1, 2005; 72(5): 1232 - 1240. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Kristensen, E. Baatrup, and M. Bayley 17{alpha}-Ethinylestradiol Reduces the Competitive Reproductive Fitness of the Male Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) Biol Reprod, January 1, 2005; 72(1): 150 - 156. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. H. CAMPBELL, N. BULAYEVA, D. B. BROWN, B. GAMETCHU, and C. S. WATSON Regulation of the membrane estrogen receptor-{alpha}: role of cell density, serum, cell passage number, and estradiol FASEB J, December 1, 2002; 16(14): 1917 - 1927. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Cobellis, R. Pierantoni, S. Minucci, R. Pernas-Alonso, R. Meccariello, and S. Fasano c-fos Activity in Rana esculenta Testis: Seasonal and Estradiol-Induced Changes Endocrinology, July 1, 1999; 140(7): 3238 - 3244. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				J. F. Couse and K. S. Korach Estrogen Receptor Null Mice: What Have We Learned and Where Will They Lead Us? Endocr. Rev., June 1, 1999; 20(3): 358 - 417. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				A. M. M. van Pelt, D. G. de Rooij, B. van der Burg, P. T. van der Saag, J.-A. Gustafsson, and G. G. J. M. Kuiper Ontogeny of Estrogen Receptor-{beta} Expression in Rat Testis Endocrinology, January 1, 1999; 140(1): 478 - 483. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				R.M. Sharpe, N. Atanassova, C. McKinnell, P. Parte, K.J. Turner, J.S. Fisher, J.B. Kerr, N.P. Groome, S. Macpherson, M.R. Millar, et al. Abnormalities in Functional Development of the Sertoli Cells in Rats Treated Neonatally with Diethylstilbestrol: A Possible Role for Estrogens in Sertoli Cell Development Biol Reprod, November 1, 1998; 59(5): 1084 - 1094. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				W.-C. Song, Y. Qian, X. Sun, and M. Negishi Cellular Localization and Regulation of Expression of Testicular Estrogen Sulfotransferase Endocrinology, November 1, 1997; 138(11): 5006 - 5012. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. D. MacCalman, S. Getsios, R. Farookhi, and O. W. Blaschuk Estrogens Potentiate the Stimulatory Effects of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone on N-Cadherin Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Levels in Cultured Mouse Sertoli Cells Endocrinology, January 1, 1997; 138(1): 41 - 48. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]