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Gigantol Improves Cholesterol Metabolism and Progesterone Biosynthesis in MA-10 Leydig Cells
- Source :
- Current Issues in Molecular Biology, Vol 44, Iss 6, Pp 73-93 (2022), Current Issues in Molecular Biology; Volume 44; Issue 1; Pages: 73-93
- Publication Year :
- 2022
- Publisher :
- MDPI AG, 2022.
-
Abstract
- In aging males, androgen production by testicular Leydig cells decreases at a rate of approximately 1% per year. Phenolic compounds may enhance testosterone biosynthesis and delay the onset of male hypogonadism. Gigantol is a bibenzyl compound isolated from several types of orchids of the genus Dendrobium. This compound has various biological activities, including antioxidant activity. However, its capacity to regulate gene expression and steroid production in testicular Leydig cells has never been evaluated. We investigated the effect of gigantol on MA-10 Leydig cells’ gene expression using an RNA-Seq approach. To further investigate the structure-function relationship of the hydroxy-methoxyphenyl moiety of gigantol, experiments were also performed with ferulic acid and isoferulic acid. According to transcriptomic analysis, all genes coding for cholesterol biosynthesis-related enzymes are increased in response to gigantol treatment, resulting in increased lipid droplets accumulation. Moreover, treatments with 10 μM gigantol increased StAR protein levels and progesterone production from MA-10 Leydig cells. However, neither ferulic acid nor isoferulic acid influenced StAR protein synthesis and progesterone production in MA-10 Leydig cells. Thus, our findings indicate that gigantol improves cholesterol and steroid biosynthesis within testicular Leydig cells.
- Subjects :
- Microbiology (medical)
0303 health sciences
endocrine system
steroidogenesis
urogenital system
QH301-705.5
General Medicine
Leydig cells
Microbiology
gigantol
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
RNA-Seq
cholesterol metabolism
030220 oncology & carcinogenesis
Biology (General)
Molecular Biology
030304 developmental biology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 14673045
- Volume :
- 44
- Issue :
- 6
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Current Issues in Molecular Biology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....ea17d94e6840e13c7a455ea8df847c57