Abstract
D-Aspartate increases human chorionic gonadotropin-induced testosterone production in purified rat Leydig cells. L-Aspartate, D-L-glutamate or D-,L-asparagine could not substitute for D-aspartate and this effect was independent of glutamate receptor activation. Testosterone production was enhanced only in cells cultured with D-aspartate for more than 3 h. The increased production of testosterone was well correlated with the amounts of d-aspartate incorporated into the Leydig cells, and L-cysteine sulfinic acid, an inhibitor of D-aspartate uptake, suppressed both testosterone production and intracellular D-aspartate levels. d-Aspartate therefore is presumably taken up into cells to increase steroidogenesis. Intracellular D-aspartate probably acts on cholesterol translocation into the inner mitochondrial membrane, the rate-limiting process in steroidogenesis. Copyright (C) 1999 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 160-164 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | FEBS Letters |
Volume | 444 |
Issue number | 2-3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Feb 12 1999 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- D-Aspartate
- Glutamate transporter
- Human chorionic gonadotropin
- Leydig cell
- Steroidogenesis
- Testosterone
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
- Biophysics
- Structural Biology
- Biochemistry
- Cell Biology