Identification of insulin receptors on rat Sertoli cells

The binding of insulin to rat Sertoli cells was investigated to establish if effects of insulin on Sertoli cells can be mediated via insulin receptors. Sertoli cells were isolated from the testes of 3-week-old rats, and preincubated for 3 days in the absence of hormones. Binding of 125I-porcine insulin to the Sertoli cells was 75-80% specific and this binding was time- and pH-dependent and reversible. Scatchard analysis of the binding data resulted in curvilinear plots with a high affinity binding of Kd = 1.8 X 10(-9) M. Porcine and bovine insulin competed equally well for 125I-porcine insulin binding. Porcine proinsulin was 10-50 times less potent, corresponding to its lower biological activity. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) was 30-40 times less potent, indicating low affinity binding of IGF-I to the insulin receptor. Lutropin which was used as a control gave no competition with the 125I-insulin binding. Affinity labelling of Sertoli cell membrane proteins with 125I-insulin using the cross-linking agent disuccinimidylsuberate revealed binding of insulin to (a) protein(s) of Mr greater than 300,000 or Mr = 130,000 after electrophoresis under non-reducing or reducing conditions, respectively. Affinity labelling with 125I-insulin was largely prevented by unlabelled insulin. It is concluded that the protein of Mr 130,000 may represent the alpha-subunit of the insulin receptor. The presence of insulin receptors as well as IGF-I receptors on cultured rat Sertoli cells may suggest that insulin and IGF-I have specific functions in regulating the maturation and activities of Sertoli cells during the initiation and maintenance of spermatogenesis.