Follicle-stimulating hormone-dependent estrogen secretion by rat Sertoli cells in vitro: modulation by calcium

We have investigated the role of Ca2+ in the control of FSH-induced estradiol secretion by Sertoli cells isolated from 8-10 days old rats. Exogenous Ca2+ (4-8 mmol/l) inhibited FSH-stimulated E2 secretion such that, with 8 mmol/l Ca2+ and FSH (8 IU/l) E2 secretion decreased from 2091 +/- 322 to 1480 +/- 84 pmol/l (p less than 0.002), whilst chelation of Ca2+ in the culture medium with EGTA (3 mmol/l) increased E2 secretion from 360 +/- 45 to 1242 +/- 133 pmol/l) in the absence of FSH. Further, EGTA (3 mmol/l) markedly potentiated FSH (8 IU/l), forskolin (1 mumol/l) and dibutyryl cAMP (1 mmol/l)-stimulated E2 secretion. Addition of the Ca2+ ionophores, ionomycin (2-5 mumol/l) and A23187 (2 mumol/l), inhibited FSH (8 IU/l)-stimulated E2 secretion by greater than 80%. The effect of ionomycin was totally reversible, whereas that of A23187 was irreversible. Ionomycin (5 mumol/l) had no effect on EGTA-induced E2 secretion in the absence of FSH, but reduced EGTA-provoked E2 secretion by 59% in the presence of FSH (8 IU/l). Similarly, forskolin- and dibutyryl cAMP-provoked E2 production was inhibited 46-50% by ionomycin (5 mumol/l). We conclude that FSH-induced E2 secretion from immature rat Sertoli cells is modulated by intra- and extracellular Ca2+.