Aromatase gene expression in immature rat Sertoli cells: age-related changes in the FSH signalling pathway
Hélène Bouraïma-Lelong A B , Marion Vanneste A B , Christelle Delalande A B , Leïla Zanatta A B C , Slawomir Wolczynski D and Serge Carreau A B EA Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, EA 2608, 14032 Caen, France.
B INRA, USC 2006, Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, 14032 Caen, France.
C Federal University of Santa Catarina, Biochemistry Department, 88040-970 Florianopolis, Brazil.
D Medical University, Gyneacology and Endocrinology Department, 15-2760 Bialystok, Poland.
E Corresponding author. Email: serge.carreau@unicaen.fr
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 22(3) 508-515 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD09168
Submitted: 16 July 2009 Accepted: 10 September 2009 Published: 12 February 2010
Abstract
Aromatase, the enzyme responsible for the transformation of androgens into oestrogens, is encoded by the cyp19 gene expressed in the testis. The aim of the present study was to analyse the evolution of aromatase gene expression under FSH control in rat Sertoli cells between 10 and 30 days post partum, corresponding to the end of the proliferative period of Sertoli cells, establishment of the blood–testis barrier and acquisition of the mature phenotype. The maximum stimulatory effect of FSH on aromatase gene expression was obtained in 20-day-old rat Sertoli cells, compared with cells from 10- and 30-day-old rats, in parallel with the differentiation of Sertoli cells. Using two effectors of the protein kinase A pathway (i.e. forskolin and dibutyryl-cAMP) revealed differential effects between cells from rats aged 20 and 30 days, implying the involvement of another signalling pathway. Experiments using the specific phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) inhibitor LY294002 revealed that PI3-K is strongly involved in FSH-induced aromatase expression in Sertoli cells from both 20- and 30-day-old rats. In vivo, this decrease could be explained by a negative effect exerted by germ cells because, in coculture, aromatase gene expression in 20-day-old Sertoli cells is greatly diminished.
Additional keywords: germ cells, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the National Institute of Research in Agronomy and by the French Ministry of Education and Research. L.Z. was supported by a CAPES-COFECUB grant (Sv 554/07).
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