The effects of lead acetate on protein synthesis and lactate production by cultures of rat Sertoli cells in vitro were studied. Sertoli cell cultures prepared from 20 day old Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 0.01, 0.05 and 0.10 mM lead acetate. Lactate production was significantly elevated by all concentrations of lead after 3, 6, 9 and 12 hours of exposure. Protein biosynthesis as measured by [3H]-leucine incorporation was significantly depressed by 0.05 and 0.10 mM lead acetate after 2 hours of exposure. These results support the hypothesis that lead acetate may inhibit spermatogenesis by a disturbance of the metabolic activities of the Sertoli cells.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- MEM:
-
minimal essential medium
- TCA:
-
trichloroacetic acid
References
BELL, J.U. and THOMAS, J.A. (1980). Effects of lead on mammalian reproduction. In: Lead Toxicity (R. Singal and J. Thomas, eds) pp. 169–185. Urban and Schwizenberg, Baltimore.
BRABEC, M.J., BEDOWS, E., DAVIDSON, B. and KNIGHT, P.R. (1984). Effect of general anesthetics and pressure on aerobic metabolism of monkey kidney cells. Anesthesiology 61:43–48.
BOITANI, C., PALOMBI, F. and STEFANINI, M. (1983). Influence of Sertoli cell products upon the in vitro survival of isolated spermatocytes and spermatids. Cell Biology Internal Reports 7(5):383–393.
CHOWDHURY, A.R., DEWAN, A. and GANDHI, D.N. (1984). Toxic effects of lead on the testes of rat. Biomed. Biochim. Acta 43:95–100.
CULLEN, M., KAYNE, R., and ROBINS, J. (1984). Hormone and reproduction dysfunction in men associated with occupational inorganic lead intoxication. Arch. Env. Health 35(3):139–145.
FISHER, A.B. (1977). Acute and chronic effects of lead on mammalian cells in vitro. In: Lead in the Marine Environment (M. Branica and Z. Konrau, eds.) pp. 279–297. Pergamon Press, New York.
FORNI, A. and SCIAME, A. (1980). Chromosome and biochemical studies in women occupationally exposed to lead. Arch. Env. Health 35(3):139–145.
FRITZ, I.B., KOPEC, B., LAM, K. and VERNON, R.G. (1974). Effects of FSH on levels of androgen binding proteins in the testis. In: Hormone Binding and Target Cell Activation in the Testis (M.L. Dufau and A.R. Means, eds.) pp. 311–327. Plenum, New York.
GOLUBOVITS, E.Y., AUHIMENKO, M.M. and CHIRKOVA, E.M. (1968). Biochemical and morphological changes in the testicles of rats as a result of small doses of lead. Tokikol. Nov. Prom. Khim. Veschestv. 10:64–63.
HOHORST, H.J. (1965). L-(+)-Lactate: Determination with lactic dehydrogenase and DPN. In: Methods of Enzymatic Analysis (H.U. Bergmeyer, ed.) pp. 266–270. Verlag Chemie, Weinheim.
JUTTE, N.H.P.M., GROOTEGOED, J.A., ROMMERTS, F.F.G. and VAN DER MOLEN, H.J. (1981). Exogenous lactate is essential for metabolic activities in isolated rat spermatocytes and spermatids. J. Reprod. Fert. 62:399–405.
JUTTE, N.H.P.M., JANSEN, R., GROOTEGOED, J.A., ROMMERTS, F.F.F.G. and VAN DER MOLEN, H.J. (1983). FSH stimulation of the production of pyruvate and lactate by rat Sertoli cells may be involved in hormonal regulation of spermatogensis. J. Reprod. Fert. 68:219–226.
KENNEDY, G.L., ARNOLD, D. and CALANDRA, J., (1975). Teratogenic evaluation of lead compounds in mice and rats. Arch. Toxicol. 13:629–632.
KRASOVSKII, G.M., VASUKOVICH, L.Y. and CHARIEV, O.G. (1979). Experimental study of biological effects of lead and aluminum following oral administration. Environ. Health Persp. 30:47–51.
LACROIX, M., SMITH, F.E. and FRITZ, I.B. (1977). Secretion of plasminogen activator by Sertoli cell enriched cultures. Mol. Cell. Endocrinol. 9:227–236.
LOWRY, O.H., ROSEBROUGH, N.J., FARR, A.L. and RANDALL, R.J. (1951). Protein determination with the folin phenol reagent. Journal of Biol. Chem. 193:265–275.
MATHER, J.P. (1980). Establishment and characterization of two distinct mouse testicular epithelial cell lines. Bio. of Reprod. 23:243–252.
MEANS, A.R. and HALL, P.F. (1967). Effects of FSH on protein biosynthesis in testes of the immature rats. Endocrinology 81:1151–1160.
MORRISON, D.F. (1967). Multivariate Statistical Methods, 2nd ed., pp. 140–148. McGraw-Hill, New York.
NAKAMURA, M. and KATO, J. (1981a). Lactate dependent protein synthesis in round spermatids from rat testes. Develop., Growth and Differ. 23(3):255–261.
NAKAMURA, M., HINO, A. and KATO,J. (1981b). Stimulation of protein synthesis in round spermatids from rat testes by lactate. II. Role of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). J. Biochem. 90:933–940.
NETTER, J. and WASSERMAN, W. (1974). Regression, Analysis of Variance, and Experimental Design. In: Applied Linear Statistical Models (Richard D. Irwin, ed.) pp. 477–482. Homewood, Illinois.
PARVINEN, M. (1982). Regulation of the seminiferous epithelium. Endocrine Reviews 3(4):404–417.
RUSSELL, L.D. (1980). Sertoli-Germ cell interrelations: a review. Gamete Research 3:179–202.
SKINNER, M.K. and GRISWOLD, M.D. (1980). Sertoli cell synthesize and secrete transferrin-like protein. J. Biol. Chem. 255:9523–9525.
THOMAS, J.A. and BROGAN III, W.C. (1983). Some actions of lead on the sperm and on the male reproductive system. Amer. J. Ind. Med. 4:127–134.
VOGL, A.W. and SOUCY, L.J. (1985). Arrangement and possible function of actin filament bundles in ectoplasmic specializations of ground squirrel Sertoli cells. J. Cell Biol. 100:814–825.
WELSH, M.J. and WIEBE, J.P. (1975). Rat Sertoli Cells: A rapid method for obtaining viable cells. Endocrinology 96(3):618–624.
WIEBE, J.P., SALHANICK, A.I. and MYERS, K.I. (1983). On the mechanism of action of lead in the testes: in vitro supression of FSH receptors, cyclic AMP and steroidogenesis. Life Sciences 32:1997–2005.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Batarseh, L.I., Welsh, M.J. & Brabec, M.J. Effect of lead acetate on Sertoli cell lactate production and protein synthesis in vitro . Cell Biol Toxicol 2, 283–292 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00122696
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00122696