Protein kinases and protein synthesis are involved in desensitization of the plasminogen activator response of rat Sertoli cells by follicle-stimulating hormone.

Tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) secretion is a specific response of Sertoli cells to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which is lower after preincubation of the cells with low FSH concentrations because of FSH receptor/Gs protein uncoupling. In this report, we present evidence that this desensitization induced by the lowest FSH concentrations is suppressed by specific peptidic inhibitors of endogenous PKA and PKC in permeabilized Sertoli cells. In contrast, desensitization promoted by slightly higher FSH concentrations is not mediated through PKA or PKC activation but is dependent on protein neosynthesis.

Structure-function relationships and mechanism of action of pituitary and placental gonadotrophins.

Data from the author's laboratory on relationships between structure and function of equine luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone and choriogonadotrophin as well as their mechanisms of action are reviewed and compared with their human counterparts. Polymorphism of these hormones and problems associated with their purification are discussed as well as the association and dissociation of their alpha- and beta-subunits. The affinity of receptor binding, the superactivity of membrane transduction and homologous desensitization of target cells by non-stimulatory doses of the gonadotrophins are also reviewed.

[Molecular mechanisms of stimulation and desensitization of Sertoli cells by follicle-stimulating hormone]. / Mécanismes moléculaires de stimulation et désensibilisation de la cellule de Sertoli par l'hormone folliculo-stimulante.

Many Sertoli functions are regulated by the receptor-mediated action of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). The interaction of FSH with its specific cell surface receptors leads to stimulation of a number of intracellular events, including the activation of guanine nucleotide binding protein (G protein), adenylate cyclase and the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) pathway. In addition to positive regulation of cell functions, a phenomenon of refractoriness occurs after primary exposure of target cells to the hormone. Different sites of lesion have been suggested including down-regulation of FSH receptor, uncoupling of the receptor and the G protein/adenylate cyclase complex, and stimulation of nucleotide phosphodiesterases or inhibition of PKA activity. Alterations of cell responsiveness are mediated by a combination of these different mechanisms occurring over different time-scales and hormonal concentrations.

Involvement of cyclic adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase isozymes in tissue plasminogen activator secretion by rat Sertoli cells stimulated with follicle-stimulating hormone in vitro.

This study was undertaken to investigate, in freshly isolated rat Sertoli cells, the physiological function of the type I and type II cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase isozymes in tissue-type plasminogen activator secretion and the regulation of this cAMP process by follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Follicle-stimulating hormone-induced tissue-type plasminogen activator secretion depends upon intracellular cAMP levels. The changes in cAMP amounts required to activate maximally the tissue-type plasminogen activator secretion are extremely small, a cAMP threshold having to be reached for triggering the tissue-type plasminogen activator output. Intact Sertoli cells were incubated with combinations of cAMP analogs specific for each cAMP-dependent protein kinase type and complementary in their cAMP binding site on the cAMP-dependent protein kinase regulatory subunits: 8-aminohexylamino-cAMP = type 1, site 1; 8-thiomethyl-cAMP = type II, site 1 and N6-benzoyl-cAMP = types I/II, site 2. This allowed us to activate selectively each cAMP-dependent protein kinase type in a synergistic manner and then to evaluate their respective influence in the specific tissue-type plasminogen activator response. We establish that both of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase types are present and functional; the activity of the type I isozyme is preponderant (60%) in the cAMP-dependent tissue-type plasminogen activator secretion. Likewise, when these cAMP analogs were coupled with endogenously generated cAMP by FSH or forskolin, both of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase types were involved in the tissue-type plasminogen activator production.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)