Andreis P G, Cavallini L, Mazzocchi G, Meneghelli V, Nussdorfer G G
Department of Anatomy, University of Padua, Italy.
J Submicrosc Cytol Pathol. 1990 Jul;22(3):361-6.
Prolonged (7-day) hCG infusion caused a remarkable hypertrophy of rat Leydig cells, coupled with a notable enhancement of their basal and stimulated testosterone production in vitro. It also provoked a conspicuous accumulation of lipid droplets in the cytoplasm of hypertrophic cells. The administration of 4-aminopyrazolo-pyrimidine (4APP), at a dose causing a significant hypocholesterolaemia, did not affect the morphology and function of Leydig cells in normal rats. Conversely, in chronically hCG-infused animals, 4APP reversed lipid-droplet accumulation and significantly depressed stimulated testosterone production. The following conclusions are drawn: 1) chronic hCG treatment enhances the ability of rat Leydig cells to take-up exogenous cholesterol from circulating lipoproteins, and to store it in lipid droplets as a reserve material; 2) lipid-droplet stored cholesterol is employed only in the case of intense acute stimulation, since, under basal conditions, endogenous cholesterol synthesis is able to meet the requirements for testosterone production alone.
长期（7天）输注人绒毛膜促性腺激素（hCG）导致大鼠睾丸间质细胞显著肥大，同时其基础睾酮分泌及体外刺激后的睾酮分泌显著增强。它还促使肥大细胞的细胞质中明显积累脂滴。给予4-氨基吡唑并嘧啶（4APP），剂量足以引起显著的低胆固醇血症，对正常大鼠睾丸间质细胞的形态和功能没有影响。相反，在长期输注hCG的动物中，4APP可逆转脂滴积累，并显著抑制刺激后的睾酮分泌。得出以下结论：1）长期hCG治疗可增强大鼠睾丸间质细胞从循环脂蛋白摄取外源性胆固醇并将其作为储备物质储存于脂滴中的能力；2）脂滴储存的胆固醇仅在强烈急性刺激的情况下被利用，因为在基础条件下，内源性胆固醇合成能够单独满足睾酮分泌的需求。
