Glucocorticoid (GC) inhibits testosterone production in adult Leydig cells by the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). However, whether GC affects the development of Leydig cells is unclear. The goal of the present study is to investigate the effects of GC on steroidogenesis of rat progenitor Leydig cells (PLCs) in vitro. Dexamethasone (DEX) inhibited androsterone (AO) production in PLCs. The GR antagonist RU38486 reversed the DEX-induced inhibition of AO, whereas the mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist RU28318 did not. RU38486 also reversed DEX-induced reductions in steady-state mRNA levels of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (Star) and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (Hsd3b1). Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) protein expression and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3βHSD) enzyme activity were affected similarly. These results show that GCs inhibit steroidogenesis of PLCs by suppression of StAR and 3βHSD via a GR-mediated mechanism.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.2164/jandrol.109.009019 | DOI Listing |
Sci Rep
January 2025
Department of Urology, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, No. 85, Jiefang South Road, Taiyuan, 030001, China.
Late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) refers to sexual and non-sexual symptoms in men caused by age-related decreases in circulating testosterone. Leydig cells (LCs) transplantation is considered to be one of a viable approach for LOH therapy, but the limited source of LCs limits the application of this approach. The aim of this study was to induce the directed differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into LCs in vitro, and explore the potential involvement of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in the differentiation process.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFElife
January 2025
Biology of the Testis (BITE) Laboratory, Genetics, Reproduction and Development (GRAD) Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
Although the impact of gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) on spermatogenesis in trans women has already been studied, data on its precise effects on the testicular environment is poor. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize, through histological and transcriptomic analysis, the spermatogonial stem cell niche of 106 trans women who underwent standardized GAHT, comprising estrogens and cyproterone acetate. A partial dedifferentiation of Sertoli cells was observed, marked by the co-expression of androgen receptor and anti-Müllerian hormone which mirrors the situation in peripubertal boys.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFElife
January 2025
Laboratory of Bone and Adipose Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.
The FSH-FSHR pathway has been considered an essential regulator in reproductive development and fertility. But there has been emerging evidence of FSHR expression in extragonadal organs. This poses new questions and long-term debates regarding the physiological role of the FSH-FSHR, and underscores the need for reliable, in vivo analysis of FSHR expression in animal models.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Mol Sci
December 2024
College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agriculture University, Lanzhou 730070, China.
Long noncoding RNAs (LncRNAs) play essential roles in numerous biological processes in mammals, such as reproductive physiology and endocrinology. Cryptorchidism is a common male reproductive disease. Circadian rhythms are actively expressed in the reproductive system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAntioxidants (Basel)
November 2024
School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
Cisplatin (CIS) is a widely used chemotherapeutic agent, but its side effects, such as oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis, often lead to male reproductive damage. Oxidative stress, primarily caused by the excessive generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), plays a critical role in disrupting testicular homeostasis, resulting in spermatogenic impairment and tissue injury. L-cysteine (CYS), a semi-essential amino acid with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, may offer protection against CIS-induced oxidative damage.
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