1. Academic Validation
  2. Epidermal growth factor regulates the development of stem and progenitor Leydig cells in rats

Epidermal growth factor regulates the development of stem and progenitor Leydig cells in rats

  • J Cell Mol Med. 2020 Jul;24(13):7313-7330. doi: 10.1111/jcmm.15302.
Xiaoheng Li 1 2 Yiyan Wang 2 Qiqi Zhu 2 Kaiming Yuan 2 Zhijian Su 1 Fei Ge 2 Ren-Shan Ge 2 Yadong Huang 1
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Cell Biology & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
  • 2 Department of Anesthesiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
Abstract

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) has many physiological roles. However, its effects on stem and progenitor Leydig cell development remain unclear. Rat stem and progenitor Leydig cells were cultured with different concentrations of EGF alone or in combination with EGF antagonist, erlotinib or cetuximab. EGF (1 and 10 ng/mL) stimulated the proliferation of stem Leydig cells on the surface of seminiferous tubules and isolated CD90+ stem Leydig cells and progenitor Leydig cells but it blocked their differentiation. EGF also exerted anti-apoptotic effects of progenitor Leydig cells. Erlotinib and cetuximab are able to reverse EGF-mediated action. Gene microarray and qPCR of EGF-treated progenitor Leydig cells revealed that the down-regulation of steroidogenesis-related proteins (Star and Hsd3b1) and antioxidative genes. It was found that EGF acted as a proliferative agent via increasing phosphorylation of Akt1. In conclusion, EGF stimulates the proliferation of rat stem and progenitor Leydig cells but blocks their differentiation.

Keywords

EGF; StAR; stem/progenitor Leydig cells; steroidogenesis; steroids.

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