Prepubertal testicular dysfunction and the subsequent development of hypogonadism affects an estimated one in 200 children worldwide. As the testosterone levels are dynamic during development and puberty, traditional hormone treatment regimens are often inadequate, thereby leaving associated physiological conditions unresolved. Therefore, we have investigated the potential therapeutic effect of...

Galectin-1 (Gal-1), a beta galactoside-binding lectin, is involved in multiple biological functions, such as cell adhesion, apoptosis, and metastasis. On the basis of its ability to interact with extracellular matrix (ECM) glycoproteins, we investigated the Gal-1 effect on Leydig cells, which express and are influenced by ECM proteins. In this study, Gal-1 was identified in Leydig cell cultures...

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of varicocele on the morphology and function of Leydig cells in the rat testis. Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups: the experimental group underwent surgery to create a left varicocele (VC), and the control group underwent a sham operation. Serum testosterone and intratesticular testosterone levels were measured using a r...

PURPOSE Evaluate the relationship between metastatic potential of prostatic adenocarcinoma (PC) and testicular Leydig cell density. MATERIALS AND METHODS Tissue samples from 111 men, age 52-85, with PC and bilateral orchiectomy were evaluated for Leydig cell density. The patients were divided into two groups: Group A were patients with metastasis (n = 36) and Group B were patients without met...

Maternal exposure to estrogenic xenobiotics or phthalates has been implicated in the distortion of early male reproductive development, referred to in humans as the testicular dysgenesis syndrome. It is not known, however, whether such early gestational and/or lactational exposure can influence the later adult-type Leydig cell phenotype. In this study, Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to dibuty...

The effects of ovine interstitial cell-stimulating hormone (ICSH), ovine prolactin, or bovine growth hormone (BGH) on the growth and fine structure of transplantable Leydig cell tumors have been investigated. The Leydig cell tumor was capable of growth in the hypophysectomized mouse as well as in the intact mouse treated with rabbit antisera to ICSH. The ultrastructure of the Leydig cell was al...

Postnatal development of Leydig cells can be divided into three distinct stages of differentiation: initially they exist as mesenchymal-like progenitors (PLC) by day 21; subsequently, as immature Leydig cells (ILC) by day 35, they acquire steroidogenic organelle structure and enzyme activities but metabolize most of the testosterone they produce; finally, as adult Leydig cells (ALC) by day 90 t...

It is well established that treatment of animals with a single high dose of LH or hCG results in steroidogenic desensitization of Leydig cells.'*2 Desensitized Leydig cells exhibit a decreased capacity to produce testosterone in response to subsequent stimulation with gonadotropins or CAMP analogues, and have decreased activities of the microsomal P-450 enzymes, 17a-hydroxylase, and C17-20 lyas...

Sildenafil citrate (Viagra), a cGMP-selective phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor, is widely used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension. In contrast to its well established action on erectile dysfunction, little is known on the action of sildenafil on cGMP/cAMP signaling and testicular steroidogenesis. This study was designed to assess the effects of prolonged sildenaf...

Previous reports have demonstrated that corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) treatment of primary cultures of mouse Leydig cells and MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cells results in a dose-dependent stimulation of steroidogenesis, probably by acting through the cAMP/protein kinase A second messenger pathway. Based on this observation, the mechanism of CRH-stimulated steroidogenesis is now further inv...