Epidermal growth factor stimulates lactate production and inhibits aromatization in cultured Sertoli cells from immature rats

The addition of epidermal growth factor (EGF) at nanomolar concentrations to cultures of Sertoli cells from 16-day-old rats induced more than a 2-fold stimulation of lactate production after 12 h of incubation. The effects of EGF, insulin and FSH on lactate production were very similar and the concentrations that produced half maximal stimulation were 11, 22 and 25 ng/ml or, in molar terms, 1.8, 3.5 and 0.6 nM for EGF, insulin and FSH, respectively. No synergistic or additive effects of these hormones on lactate production could be demonstrated. In contrast, EGF inhibited FSH-stimulated oestradiol synthesis by more than 50%. Insulin had no effect on FSH-stimulated aromatization.