| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
ARTICLES |
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, London, United Kingdom NW3 2PF; and the Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (D.M.S.), Lubbock, Texas 79430
Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Prof. B. A. Cooke, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, Rowland Hill Street, London, United Kingdom NW3 2PF. E-mail: bacooke{at}rfhsm.ac.uk
It has previously been shown that omission of extracellular chloride ions during culture of rat Leydig cells markedly enhances LH-stimulated steroidogenesis. In the present study, the mechanisms of the effect of chloride omission on (Bu)2cAMP-stimulated steroidogenesis in MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cells have been investigated. It was found that chloride omission enhanced progesterone production 2- and 4-fold in the absence and presence, respectively, of submaximally stimulating levels of (Bu)2cAMP (0.1 mM) during incubation for 2 h. This enhancement of stimulation increased continuously with time, because after 6 h, (Bu)2cAMP-stimulated progesterone production was 15-fold higher in the absence of chloride. These effects were not found in the presence of maximum stimulating levels of (Bu)2cAMP (1 mM). Omission of calcium from the incubation medium decreased (Bu)2cAMP-stimulated progesterone production by over 70% in the presence and absence of chloride. Progesterone production was still enhanced by the omission of chloride in the absence of calcium, but the effects were less marked than those in the presence of calcium. Addition of the protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide, completely inhibited (Bu)2cAMP-stimulated, but not basal, steroidogenesis in the absence and presence of chloride ions during 2- and 6-h incubation. Total protein synthesis (measured by the incorporation of [3H]methionine) was 4-fold higher in cells incubated in chloride-free medium compared with that in cells incubated in chloride-replete medium in the presence of 0.1 mM (Bu)2cAMP. No effects were found on basal levels. Several proteins specific to the steroidogenic machinery were quantified in mitochondria isolated from cells incubated with and without chloride by Western blot analysis after separation by PAGE. Omission of chloride increased (4-fold) the level of the steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein in the cells incubated with (Bu)2cAMP (0.1 mM). There was no increase in either the levels or activities of cytochrome P450 cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (cytP450scc) or 3ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. No effects were found on the basal level of any of the proteins measured. These results are consistent with a cAMP-dependent regulatory role of chloride ion efflux in the control of steroidogenesis, which requires protein synthesis. It is proposed that this occurs by increases in StAR protein synthesis via a general increase in cAMP-dependent protein synthesis and/or by enhancement of the steroidogenic effects of StAR.
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
P. Olivero, E. Leiva-Salcedo, L. Devoto, and A. Stutzin Activation of Cl- Channels by Human Chorionic Gonadotropin in Luteinized Granulosa Cells of the Human Ovary Modulates Progesterone Biosynthesis Endocrinology, September 1, 2008; 149(9): 4680 - 4687. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
V. A. Biron, M. M. Iglesias, M. F. Troncoso, M. Besio-Moreno, Z. J. Patrignani, O. P. Pignataro, and C. Wolfenstein-Todel Galectin-1: biphasic growth regulation of Leydig tumor cells Glycobiology, September 1, 2006; 16(9): 810 - 821. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. M. Stocco, X. Wang, Y. Jo, and P. R. Manna Multiple Signaling Pathways Regulating Steroidogenesis and Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein Expression: More Complicated than We Thought Mol. Endocrinol., November 1, 2005; 19(11): 2647 - 2659. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Y. Jo, S. R. King, S. A. Khan, and D. M. Stocco Involvement of Protein Kinase C and Cyclic Adenosine 3',5'-Monophosphate-Dependent Kinase in Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein Expression and Steroid Biosynthesis in Leydig Cells Biol Reprod, August 1, 2005; 73(2): 244 - 255. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. Simard, M.-L. Ricketts, S. Gingras, P. Soucy, F. A. Feltus, and M. H. Melner Molecular Biology of the 3{beta}-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase/{Delta}5-{Delta}4 Isomerase Gene Family Endocr. Rev., June 1, 2005; 26(4): 525 - 582. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
L. J. Guillette Jr. and T. M. Edwards Is Nitrate an Ecologically Relevant Endocrine Disruptor in Vertebrates? Integr. Comp. Biol., January 1, 2005; 45(1): 19 - 27. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. O. Arellano, A. Martinez-Torres, and E. Garay Ionic Currents Activated via Purinergic Receptors in the Cumulus Cell-Enclosed Mouse Oocyte Biol Reprod, September 1, 2002; 67(3): 837 - 846. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. J. Marinero, S. Ropero, B. Colas, J. C. Prieto, and M. P. Lopez-Ruiz Modulation of Guanosine Triphosphatase Activity of G Proteins by Arachidonic Acid in Rat Leydig Cell Membranes Endocrinology, March 1, 2000; 141(3): 1093 - 1099. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Chorvatova, L. Gendron, L. Bilodeau, N. Gallo-Payet, and M. D. Payet A Ras-Dependent Chloride Current Activated by Adrenocorticotropin in Rat Adrenal Zona Glomerulosa Cells Endocrinology, February 1, 2000; 141(2): 684 - 692. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
P. R. Manna, P. Pakarinen, T. El-Hefnawy, and I. T. Huhtaniemi Functional Assessment of the Calcium Messenger System in Cultured Mouse Leydig Tumor Cells: Regulation of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin-Induced Expression of the Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein Endocrinology, April 1, 1999; 140(4): 1739 - 1751. [Abstract] [Full Text] |
||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
| Endocrinology | Endocrine Reviews | J. Clin. End. & Metab. |
| Molecular Endocrinology | Recent Prog. Horm. Res. | All Endocrine Journals |