Changes in mouse Leydig cell steroidogenesis following infrared and helium-neon laser irradiation

The effects on mouse Leydig cell steroidogenesis of infrared (IR) laser rays, in the presence or absence of helium-neon (He-Ne) radiations, were investigated. Testosterone (T) production in response to luteinizing hormone (LH) by mouse Leydig cells exposed to IR (4.2 X 10(-3) J/cm2/min) plus He-Ne (8.0 X 10(-7) J/cm2/min) laser radiations was significantly higher than that by control Leydig cells. The Leydig cell responsiveness to LH (T delta %), as well as the secretion of cyclic AMP (cAMP) and androstenedione (A) in response to the highest dose of LH (0.5 mIU), were also significantly increased by the IR plus He-Ne irradiation. In contrast, the He-Ne irradiation (8.0 X 10(-7) J/cm2/min) in the absence of IR rays failed to affect T production by mouse Leydig cells. Similar results were obtained by adding to the He-Ne rays a low dose of IR radiation (3.4 X 10(-3) J/cm2/min), whereas higher doses of IR radiations (4.2 X 10(-3) and 5.1 X 10(-3) J/cm2/min) elicited a similar significant increase of T production by mouse interstitial cells.