Open AccessInvolvement of nuclear factor‐kappa B on corticosterone‐induced rat Leydig cell apoptosis
Author(s) -
Wang Qian,
Gao HuiBao
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
asian journal of andrology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.701
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1745-7262
pISSN - 1008-682X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-7262.2006.00212.x
Subject(s) - pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate , apoptosis , leydig cell , cytoplasm , glucocorticoid , corticosterone , medicine , endocrinology , nfkb1 , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , blot , nf κb , chemistry , transcription factor , biochemistry , hormone , luteinizing hormone , gene
Aim: To investigate the activation of nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐kappa B) and its function in glucocorticoid‐induced Leydig cell apoptosis. Methods: The Leydig cells were isolated from male Sprague‐Dawley rats (90 days of age) and were incubated with corticosterone (CORT, glucocorticoid in rat) for 6 h, 12 h and 24 h, respectively. The P65 subunit of NF‐kappa B (NF‐kappa B/P65) in nuclei and the inhibitor of NF‐kappa B (Ikappa B) in cytoplasm were analyzed by Western‐blotting. The Leydig cells were treated with anti‐Fas antibody for 3 h followed by Western blotting to assay the changes of NF‐kappa B/P65 in nuclei and in cytoplasm. The role of NF‐kappa B in CORT‐induced Leydig cell apoptosis was evaluated by observing the effects of NF‐kappa B/P65 overexpression and inhibiting activation of NF‐kappa B by 100 μmol/L Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) on this apoptosis. Results: The treatment of Leydig cells with CORT increased the levels of NF‐kappa B/P65 in nuclei and decreased the levels of Ikappa B in cytoplasm. Following the Leydig cells were treated with anti‐Fas antibody, the levels of NF‐kappaB/P65 was increased in nuclei and decreased in cytoplasm. The CORT‐induced Leydig cell apoptosis was inhibited by overexpressed NF‐kappaB/P65 and was enhanced by incubation with PDTC. Conclusion: NF‐kappa B is activated by increased FasL/Fas in CORT‐induced Leydig cell apoptosis. NF‐kappa B may play an anti‐apoptotic role in this apoptosis. Edited by Trevor G. Cooper