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Regulation of glucocorticoid metabolism in the boar testis and caput epididymidis by the gonadotrophin-cAMP signalling pathway

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Abstract

In target tissues, cortisol is metabolised by two 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11βHSD) isoenzymes, namely 11βHSD1 and 11βHSD2, both of which are co-expressed in the boar testis and reproductive tract. The present study has assessed whether cortisol-cortisone metabolism in boar testis and caput epididymidis can be regulated via the gonadotrophin-cAMP signalling pathway. 11βHSD activities were measured by using a radiometric conversion assay in static tissue culture. In both testis and caput epididymidis, the net reduction of cortisone but not the net oxidation of cortisol, was significantly decreased by luteinising hormone (by 53 ± 20% and 45 ± 9%, respectively, P < 0.05), forskolin (by 60 ± 7% and 57 ± 9%, respectively, P < 0.01) and 8-bromo-cAMP (by 54 ± 4% and 64 ± 1%, respectively, P < 0.01). This suppression of 11-ketosteroid reductase activity in the boar testis by forskolin could be attenuated by the protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor, H89. Hence, within the boar testis and the caput epididymidis, the local actions of glucocorticoids are modulated by gonadotrophin-cAMP-PKA signalling via their selective effects on the reductase activity of 11βHSD.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the A&G Barber slaughterhouse (Chelmsford, Essex) for supplying all boar testis and reproductive tract tissues.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Endocrine Signalling Group, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London, NW1 0TU, UK

    Victoria Cabrera-Sharp, Samantha M. Mirczuk, Elaine Shervill & Robert C. Fowkes

  2. Developmental & Endocrine Signalling Group, Biomedical Sciences Research Centre, Division of Biomedical Sciences, St.George’s University of London, London, SW17 0RE, UK

    Anthony E. Michael

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  1. Victoria Cabrera-Sharp
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  2. Samantha M. Mirczuk
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  3. Elaine Shervill
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  4. Anthony E. Michael
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  5. Robert C. Fowkes
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Correspondence to Victoria Cabrera-Sharp.

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This work was funded by a Royal Veterinary College PhD studentship to support V.C.-S. and by an internal funding award from the Royal Veterinary College to R.C.F.

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Cabrera-Sharp, V., Mirczuk, S.M., Shervill, E. et al. Regulation of glucocorticoid metabolism in the boar testis and caput epididymidis by the gonadotrophin-cAMP signalling pathway. Cell Tissue Res 352, 751–760 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-013-1613-y

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