Induction of an estrogen-dependent early steroidogenic lesion in murine Leydig tumor cells

The effects of low doses (37 pM to 3.7 nM) of 17 beta-estradiol on Leydig tumor cell steroidogenesis were studied in primary culture. This gonadotropin-responsive Leydig tumor line (M5480A) produces progesterone as the major steroid and lower levels of testosterone. It was found that these tumor cells possess a relatively high level of estradiol receptors, but only low levels of estradiol. We, therefore, maintained dispersed Leydig tumor cells in culture under basal or hCG-stimulated conditions for varying periods of time with or without graded doses of estradiol. The media from these cultures were analyzed for pregnenolone, progesterone, and testosterone by specific RIAs. Although testosterone levels were similar to control values, both pregnenolone and progesterone levels were significantly decreased by low doses of estradiol in a dose- and time-dependent manner. For example, basal progesterone levels were diminished 36% by 0.37 nM estradiol, and this effect could be reversed by the antiestrogen LY117018 [6-hydroxy-2-(p-hydroxyphenol)benzo-b-thien-3-yl-p-2-(1-pyrr olidinyl)- ethoxyphenyl ketone]. To evaluate whether the decreased medium progesterone level was due to increased metabolism, [3H] progesterone was added to estrogen-treated and control cells, and ether-extracted media were analyzed for steroid metabolites by HPLC. No significant difference in progesterone metabolism, including its conversion to testosterone, was detected between control and treated cells. Thus, the estradiol-mediated decrease in progesterone concentrations most likely reflects decreased synthesis rather than increased metabolism. These results provide the first indication of an estrogen-mediated effect at an early site in Leydig tumor cell steroidogenesis.