Peritubular cells influence Sertoli cells at the level of translation

Conditioned medium from cultured peritubular cells (PTCM) was capable of increasing the incorporation of amino acids into acid-precipitable material in cultured Sertoli cells, while the incorporation of uridine into acid-precipitable material was unaffected. PTCM did not influence intracellular cAMP accumulation in a manner similar to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). PTCM was able to stimulate androgen-binding protein (ABP) secretion by Sertoli cells even in the presence of a maximal dose of FSH. PTCM increased the rate at which peptides are elongated 5-fold over control medium or medium from control fibroblasts. These studies indicate that peritubular cells influence Sertoli cells through different mechanisms than FSH and exert their influence, at least in part, at the level of translation by increasing the rate of peptide elongation.