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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 292/6/E1763    most recent 00611.2006v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (6) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hwang, G.-S. Articles by Wang, P. S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Hwang, G.-S. Articles by Wang, P. S.

Effect of hypoxia on the release of vascular endothelial growth factor and testosterone in mouse TM3 Leydig cells

¹ Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei; ²Department of Nursing, Chang Gung Institute of Technology, Kweisan, Taoyuan; ³Department of Physiology, Chang Gung University, Kweisan, Taoyuan; and ⁴Department of Medical Research and Education, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Submitted 14 November 2006 ; accepted in final form 1 March 2007

Hypoxia has been shown to stimulate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is a major mediator for angiogenesis and vasculogenesis. During hypoxia, VEGF promotes angiogenesis in the testis. However, the effect of VEGF on the steroidogenesis of testosterone and the cell proliferation in Leydig cells is unclear. To assess the effects and the action mechanisms of hypoxia, a mouse TM3 Leydig cell line was employed in the present study. The Leydig cells were incubated in an incubator chamber (95% N₂-5% CO₂) for 1–24 h. The cultured media were collected and assayed by testosterone RIA and VEGF enzyme immunoassay. 3-(4,50-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2.5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was used to detect the proliferation of Leydig cells. The present results showed that the proliferation of Leydig cells was enhanced significantly by hypoxia. The basal VEGF release was increased, and the response of VEGF production to human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) was also enhanced in hypoxic condition. During hypoxia, administration of hCG or VEGF stimulated proliferation of Leydig cells, but the stimulatory effect was abolished by the administration of anti-VEGF antibody. Higher doses of VEGF stimulated testosterone release in a dose-dependent manner. Administration of anti-VEGF antibody abolished the stimulatory effect of VEGF on testosterone release. These data suggest that hypoxia stimulates cell proliferation and testosterone release in Leydig cells via an increase of VEGF production.

hypoxia; mouse TM3 Leydig cells; testosterone

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