Authors : Xuehuai Shen, Di Chen, Jian Kang, Jing Han, Guanxing Liu, Haitian Ma and Sixiang Zou
Abstract: The adrenals of humans and primates could secrete large amounts of Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulphate ester (DHEA-S) in the circulation which act as precursors of active steroid hormones in a long series of peripheral target intracrine tissues. The marked decline of serum DHEA and DHEA-S concentrations with age in humans has been incriminated in the development of various pathologies. Therefore, this study aims to provide detailed information on the effects of DHEA on steroid hormones and its metabolites by Liquid Chromatography-tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) in TM-3 cells, a Leydig cell line. The results showed that the concentration of DHEA rapidly declined post-treatment while testosterone and estradiol content increased over the same time-period in TM-3 cells following treatment with 100 μM DHEA. Concomitantly, the concentration of progesterone slightly increased and cortisol content decreased over the treatment period in TM-3 cell. Furthermore, DHEA treatment produced a significant increased in the 3β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) and 17β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) protein expression following incubation with DHEA for 24-48 h but the protein expression of aromatase decreased in the presence of DHEA for 24-48 h. The results of present study indicate that DHEA could transformed into steroid hormones by regulated expression of steroidogenic enzymes in TM-3 cells.
Xuehuai Shen, Di Chen, Jian Kang, Jing Han, Guanxing Liu, Haitian Ma and Sixiang Zou, 2013. Influence the Content of Steroid Hormones and Expression of Steroidogenic Enzymes with DHEA-Treated in TM-3 Cells. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 12: 831-838.