Stocco D M, Teerds K J, van Noort M, Rommerts F F
Department of Biochemistry, Erasmus University, Medical Faculty, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
J Endocrinol. 1990 Sep;126(3):367-75. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.1260367.
The biochemical activities involved in the maintenance of Leydig cell functions, and the effects of hypophysectomy and human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) on these functions are largely unknown. In the present study, adult hypophysectomized rats were used as a model to determine the effects of these treatments on a number of biochemical and morphological parameters. After 33 days of hypophysectomy, the morphology of the Leydig cells had been drastically altered. In addition, alpha-naphthol and beta-naphthol esterase activity as well as the steroidogenic capacity of the Leydig cells were greatly reduced at this time. In contrast, the level of sterol carrier protein 2 (SCP2), a Leydig cell-specific protein, was affected by hypophysectomy much less than the other parameters measured. Two daily injections of hCG to rats hypophysectomized for 31 days resulted in no change in the morphology of the Leydig cells, or in their proliferative activity. Non-specific esterase activities were also unaffected by 2 days of treatment with hCG. However, two injections of hCG to rats hypophysectomized for 31 days resulted in nearly complete restoration of steroidogenic capacity, and a 3.5-fold increase in the level of SCP2. These findings indicate that hypophysectomy results in significant morphological and biochemical changes in Leydig cells, and that hCG is capable of restoring some of these capacities within a short time.
维持睾丸间质细胞功能所涉及的生化活动，以及垂体切除和人绒毛膜促性腺激素（hCG）对这些功能的影响，目前大多尚不清楚。在本研究中，成年垂体切除大鼠被用作模型，以确定这些处理对一些生化和形态学参数的影响。垂体切除33天后，睾丸间质细胞的形态发生了急剧改变。此外，此时睾丸间质细胞的α-萘酚和β-萘酚酯酶活性以及类固醇生成能力大大降低。相比之下，作为睾丸间质细胞特异性蛋白的固醇载体蛋白2（SCP2）的水平受垂体切除的影响远小于所测量的其他参数。对垂体切除31天的大鼠每天注射两次hCG，睾丸间质细胞的形态及其增殖活性均未发生变化。非特异性酯酶活性也不受hCG处理2天的影响。然而，对垂体切除31天的大鼠注射两次hCG，导致类固醇生成能力几乎完全恢复，且SCP2水平增加了3.5倍。这些发现表明，垂体切除会导致睾丸间质细胞发生显著的形态和生化变化，并且hCG能够在短时间内恢复其中一些能力。
