Gp. Reddy et al., ARACHIDONIC-ACID METABOLITES AS INTRATESTICULAR FACTORS CONTROLLING ANDROGEN PRODUCTION, International journal of andrology, 16(3), 1993, pp. 227-233
The effect of inhibitors and products of arachidonic acid metabolism o
n rat testicular steroidogenesis has been investigated. In the presenc
e of indomethacin (inhibitor of cyclooxygenase) and nordihydroguaiaret
ic acid (NDGA) (inhibitor of lipoxygenase), the activity of 3beta-hydr
oxysteroid dehydrogenase (3beta-HSD) and 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydro
genase (17beta-HSD) were both inhibited. The LH-stimulated increase in
secretion of testosterone and progesterone was also inhibited by indo
methacin and NDGA. On the other hand, vitamin E (antioxidant and inhib
itor of lipoxygenase), stimulated the activity of both 3beta-HSD and 1
7beta-HSD and enhanced LH-stimulated androgen production. The metaboli
tes of lipoxygenase (1 5-HPETE, 15-HETE, 5-HPETE and 5-HETE) and cyclo
oxygenase (PGF2alpha) pathways stimulated 3beta-HSD and 17beta-HSD act
ivity and enhanced the secretion of progesterone and testosterone. It
is concluded that arachidonic acid matabolites are intratesticular fac
tors which can regulate LH-stimulated testicular steroidogenesis.