Volume 20, Issue 2 (March 2018) 20, 160–165; 10.4103/aja.aja_47_17
An in vitro prototype of a porcine biomimetic testis-like cell culture system: a novel tool for the study of reassembled Sertoli and Leydig cells
Iva Arato1, Giovanni Luca1,2, Francesca Mancuso1, Catia Bellucci1, Cinzia Lilli1, Mario Calvitti1, Barbara C Hansen3, Domenico Milardi4, Giuseppe Grande4, Riccardo Calafiore2,5
1 Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia 06100, Italy 2 Division of Medical Andrology and Endocrinology of Reproduction, University of Perugia and Saint Mary Hospital, Terni 05100, Italy 3 Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa 33612, FL, USA 4 Division of Endocrinology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli", 00168 Rome, Italy 5 Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia 06100, Italy
Correspondence: Dr. F Mancuso (francesca.mancuso@unipg.it)
Date of Submission 19-May-2017 Date of Acceptance 04-Sep-2017 Date of Web Publication 10-Nov-2017
Abstract |
At present, there is no reliable in vitro assembled prepubertal testis-like biomimetic organ culture system designed to assess the functional effects of human gonadotropins on Sertoli and Leydig cells. Spermatogenesis is regulated by endocrine, paracrine, and juxtacrine factors (testicular cross-talk), mainly orchestrated by gonadotropins such as luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) that play a pivotal role by stimulating Leydig and Sertoli cells, respectively. The aim of our study was to set up an in vitro prepubertal porcine bioengineered construct as a new model for experimental studies on reassembled Sertoli and Leydig cells. We have evaluated Sertoli and Leydig cells obtained from 15- to 20-day-old neonatal pig testes in terms of purity and function. Subsequently, purified Sertoli and enriched Leydig cells were subjected to coincubation to obtain an in vitro prepubertal porcine testis-like culture system. We performed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), inhibin B, and testosterone secretion in the medium, and Real-Time PCR analysis of AMH, inhibin B, FSH-r, aromatase, LHr, and 3β-HSD mRNA expression levels. This in vitro testis-like system was highly responsive to the effects of human gonadotropins and testosterone. AMH mRNA expression and secretion declined, and inhibin-B increased, while FSH-receptor expression was downregulated upon FSH/LH exposure/treatment. Finally, the production of testosterone was increased selectively upon LH treatment. In summary, our proposed model could help to better determine the action of human gonadotropins on Sertoli and Leydig cells. The potential usefulness of the system for shedding light into male infertility-related issues is evident.
Keywords: human gonadotropins; Leydig cells; prepubertal biomimetic testis; Sertoli cells
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