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Hormonal control of Sertoli cell metabolism regulates spermatogenesis

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Abstract

Hormonal regulation is essential to spermatogenesis. Sertoli cells (SCs) have functions that reach far beyond the physical support of germ cells, as they are responsible for creating the adequate ionic and metabolic environment for germ cell development. Thus, much attention has been given to the metabolic functioning of SCs. During spermatogenesis, germ cells are provided with suitable metabolic substrates, in a set of events mediated by SCs. Multiple signaling cascades regulate SC function and several of these signaling pathways are hormone-dependent and cell-specific. Within the seminiferous tubules, only SCs possess receptors for some hormones rendering them major targets for the hormonal signaling that regulates spermatogenesis. Although the mechanisms by which SCs fulfill their own and germ cells metabolic needs are mostly studied in vitro, SC metabolism is unquestionably a regulation point for germ cell development and the hormonal control of these processes is required for a normal spermatogenesis.

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Abbreviations

[1-14C]glycine:

Glycine enriched with 14C in carbon 1

ABP:

Androgen-binding protein

AICAR:

5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-d-ribofuranoside

AMH:

Anti-Müllerian hormone

cAMP:

Cyclic adenosine monophosphate

AMPK:

5′ Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase

AR:

Androgen receptor

ARKO:

Androgen receptor knockout

ATP:

Adenosine triphosphate

bFGF:

Basic fibroblast growth factor

BTB:

Blood–testis barrier

DHT:

5α-Dihydrotestosterone

E2 :

17β-estradiol

ER:

Estrogen receptor

FSH:

Follicle-stimulating hormone

gGTP:

Guanosine triphosphate

GLUTs:

Glucose transporters

GnRH:

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone

IGF-I:

Insulin-like growth factor-I

IL-1:

Interleukin-1

LDH:

Lactate dehydrogenase

LH:

Luteinizing hormone

MCTs:

Monocarboxylate transporters

NADPH:

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-oxidase

PI3K:

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase

PKB:

Protein kinase b

PTM:

Peritubular myoid cells

SCs:

Sertoli cells

T:

Testosterone

T3:

Triiodothyronine (T3)

TH:

Thyroid hormones

TNF:

Tumor necrosis factor

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Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge the authors that positively answered our call for a paper copy or some punctual doubts that we had about technical or theoretical data interpretation. This work was supported by the Portuguese “Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia”—FCT (PTDC/QUI-BIQ/121446/2010) co-funded by FEDER via Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade—COMPETE/QREN. MG Alves (SFRH/BPD/80451/2011 L Rato (SFRH/BD/72733/2010) were financed by FCT. P.F. Oliveira was financed by FCT through FSE and POPH funds (Programa Ciência 2008).

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  1. CICS-UBI, Health Sciences Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506, Covilhã, Portugal

    Marco G. Alves, Luís Rato, Sílvia Socorro & Pedro F. Oliveira

  2. CNC-UC, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-517, Coimbra, Portugal

    Rui A. Carvalho & Paula I. Moreira

  3. Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology (FCTUC), University of Coimbra, 3004-517, Coimbra, Portugal

    Rui A. Carvalho

  4. Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-354, Coimbra, Portugal

    Paula I. Moreira

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Correspondence to Marco G. Alves or Pedro F. Oliveira.

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Alves, M.G., Rato, L., Carvalho, R.A. et al. Hormonal control of Sertoli cell metabolism regulates spermatogenesis. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 70, 777–793 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-012-1079-1

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