The mechanism of action of lutropin on regulator protein(s) involved in Leydig-cell steroidogenesis

The dependence on lutropin of the synthesis of a proposed short-half-life protein regulator involved in Leydig-cell steroidogenesis was investigated. This was carried out by determining the effect of the protein-synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide, added before and during incubations with lutropin (and/or dibutyryl cyclic AMP), on the rate of testosterone production in suspensions of purified Leydig cells from adult rat testes. The Leydig cells were preincubated in Eagle's medium for 2.5h followed by 30min incubation with and without cycloheximide. The inhibitor was removed by washing the cells and then lutropin was added and testosterone concentrations were determined after incubation of the cells at 32°C. No significant effect of cycloheximide pretreatment on lutropin-stimulated steroidogenesis was found during 60min incubation. This was in contrast with the complete inhibiting effect of cycloheximide when it was added with the lutropin. The pretreatment experiments with cycloheximide were repeated in the presence of dibutyryl cyclic AMP and elipten phosphate (to inhibit cholesterol side-chain cleavage) followed by incubation with lutropin. After 5, 10, 20 and 60min of incubation, testosterone concentrations were 61±3, 46±3, 27±4 and 18±4% lower than in the cells pretreated without cycloheximide respectively (means±s.e.m., n=4–6). In the cells not pretreated with cycloheximide and in the absence of lutropin, testosterone production increased from 1.36±0.5 to 36.5±1.0ng/10⁶ cells during 20min of incubation, after which no further increase occurred. Pretreatment of the cells with cycloheximide decreased these testosterone concentrations by 65, 46, 42 and 36% in the 5, 10, 20 and 60min incubations respectively (mean values, n=2–4). It is apparent from these results that inhibition of steroidogenesis only occurs if protein synthesis is inhibited in the presence of lutropin or cyclic AMP. A new hypothesis is put forward to explain these findings: it is proposed that lutropin affects the stability of a precursor of a regulator protein by converting it from a stable (inactive) to an unstable (active) form with a short half-life.