Tamoxifen inhibits Leydig cell steroidogenesis: in vivo and in vitro studies

Using isolated interstitial cells from testes of Sprague-Dawley rats, we have shown previously that tamoxifen inhibits LH and 8-bromo-cyclic AMP stimulated testosterone synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect of tamoxifen could not be reversed with 17 beta-estradiol. The present studies indicate that tamoxifen directly inhibits testosterone response to gonadotropin stimulation both in immature and mature hypophysectomized rats. When interstitial cells were incubated with pregnenolone (5 x 10(-7) M), testosterone levels in the incubation medium were 27.0 +/- 1.9 ng/10(6) cells. Tamoxifen (10(-5) M) significantly inhibited pregnenolone-induced testosterone formation. Tamoxifen also significantly diminished adenylate cyclase activity whereas the binding of hCG to receptor was not affected. These results indicated that several steps of steroidogenesis are inhibited by tamoxifen.