Non-classic androgen actions in Sertoli cell membrane in whole seminiferous tubules: effects of nandrolone decanoate and catechin.

Studies show a mechanism of action of testosterone, nandrolone and catechin as agonists of the membrane androgen receptor. The aim of this work is to investigate the non-classical effect of androgens and catechin in Sertoli cells from immature rats. The membrane potential of Sertoli cells in whole seminiferous tubules was recorded using a standard single microelectrode technique. It was performed a topical application of testosterone (1 μM), nandrolone (0.1, 0.5 and 1 μM) and the flavonoid catechin (0.1, 0.5 and 1 μM) alone and also after infusion with flutamide (1 μM), diazoxide (100 μM) or U73122 (1 μM). The immature testes were incubated for 5 min in KRb with (45)Ca(2+), with or without nandrolone (1 μM). The results were given as mean±SEM. The data were analyzed using ANOVA for repeated measures with Bonferroni post-test. Testosterone produces a depolarization in the membrane potential at 120 s after application. Catechin (1 μM) and nandrolone (1 μM) have shown a similar response to testosterone: depolarization at 120 s after the application. The same response of catechin and nandrolone was observed at different doses. The effects of testosterone, catechin and nandrolone were not affected after perfusion with flutamide. Perfusion with diazoxide and U73122 nullified the effect of nandrolone (1 μM) and catechin (1 μM). Nandrolone and testosterone increased (45)Ca(2+) uptake with or without flutamide within 5min. These results indicate that nandrolone and catechin act through a receptor on the plasmatic membrane, as well as testosterone, showing a non-classical pathway in Sertoli cells from immature rat testes.