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Savchuk I, Morvan ML, Antignac JP, Kurek M, Le Bizec B, Söder O, Svechnikov K. Steroidogenic potential of human fetal kidney at early gestational age. Steroids 2019; 149:108417. [PMID: 31150682 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2019.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 05/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Steroidogenic potential of the human fetal kidney (hFK) at the end of first trimester is poorly investigated. Little is known about the ontogeny of steroidogenic enzymes and activities of steroidogenic pathways in the hFK at early pregnancy. Our aim was to explore steroidogenesis and the expression of steroidogenic enzymes in the hFK at gestational weeks (GW) 9-12. Steroids in the hFK were analyzed by gas chromatography/coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. The expression of steroidogenic enzymes in the hFK at GW 9-12 was investigated by qPCR, automated Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. We observed that the hFK produced substantial amount of steroids of the Δ5 and Δ4 pathways and several steroid precursors in the biosynthesis of DHT via the backdoor pathway but not DHT itself. The levels of steroids and expression of relevant steroidogenic enzymes (e.g., CYP17A1, HSD3B1, HSD3B2, CYP11B1 and AKR1C4) we significantly higher in the hFK at GW11-12 compared to GW9. We also found the expression of sex steroid receptors (e.g., AR, ERα and ERβ) in the hFK at GW9-12. No sex-dependent differences in the levels of all identified steroids and expression of steroidogenic enzymes in the hFK from male and female fetuses were found. Altogether, our data indicate that the hFK at early pregnancy is steroidogenic organ with potential to synthesize multiple steroids that may play an important role in the formation and development of this organ in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Savchuk
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Karolinska Institute & University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - M L Morvan
- École nationale vétérinaire, agroalimentaire et de l'alimentation Nantes-Atlantique (Oniris), Laboratoire d'Étude des Résidus et Contaminants dans les aliments (LABERCA), UMR INRA 1329, Nantes, France
| | - J P Antignac
- École nationale vétérinaire, agroalimentaire et de l'alimentation Nantes-Atlantique (Oniris), Laboratoire d'Étude des Résidus et Contaminants dans les aliments (LABERCA), UMR INRA 1329, Nantes, France
| | - M Kurek
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, NORDFERTIL research lab, Karolinska Institute & University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - B Le Bizec
- École nationale vétérinaire, agroalimentaire et de l'alimentation Nantes-Atlantique (Oniris), Laboratoire d'Étude des Résidus et Contaminants dans les aliments (LABERCA), UMR INRA 1329, Nantes, France
| | - O Söder
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Karolinska Institute & University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - K Svechnikov
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Karolinska Institute & University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Savchuk I, Morvan ML, Antignac JP, Kurek M, Le Bizec B, Söder O, Svechnikov K. Ontogenesis of human fetal testicular steroidogenesis at early gestational age. Steroids 2019; 141:96-103. [PMID: 30529237 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2018.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Revised: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The onset of steroidogenesis in human fetal testes (HFT) during the first trimester is poorly investigated. One important unresolved question is the ontogeny of steroidogenic enzymes and formation of steroidogenic pathways in the HFT at early pregnancy. Our aim was to explore steroidogenesis, the expression of steroidogenic enzymes and their maturation in the HFT at gestational weeks (GW) 8-12. Steroids in the HFT were analyzed by gas chromatography/coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. The expression of steroidogenic enzymes in the HFT at GW8-12 was investigated by qPCR, automated Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. We demonstrated that the HFT at GW8-9 produced low level of testosterone via the Δ4 pathway and progesterone was the major steroid found in the testicular tissue. In contrast, more mature Leydig cells from the HFT at GW11-12 synthesized high levels of androgens via the Δ5 pathway. We also observed a significant upregulation of the expression of StAR, CYP11A1, CYP17A1 and its accessory proteins, P450 oxidoreductase (POR) and cytochrome b5 in the HFT at GW11-12 compared to GW8-9. Altogether, our data suggest that that human fetal Leydig cells differentiate rapidly at the end of the first trimester by acquiring capacity to express high levels of steroidogenic enzymes and switch from the Δ4 to the Δ5 pathways to synthesize high levels of androgens due to maturation of the CYP17-POR-b5 complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Savchuk
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Karolinska Institute & University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - M L Morvan
- École nationale vétérinaire, agroalimentaire et de l'alimentation Nantes-Atlantique (Oniris), Laboratoire d'Étude des Résidus et Contaminants dans les aliments (LABERCA), UMR INRA 1329, Nantes, France
| | - J P Antignac
- École nationale vétérinaire, agroalimentaire et de l'alimentation Nantes-Atlantique (Oniris), Laboratoire d'Étude des Résidus et Contaminants dans les aliments (LABERCA), UMR INRA 1329, Nantes, France
| | - M Kurek
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, NORDFERTIL Research Lab, Karolinska Institute & University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - B Le Bizec
- École nationale vétérinaire, agroalimentaire et de l'alimentation Nantes-Atlantique (Oniris), Laboratoire d'Étude des Résidus et Contaminants dans les aliments (LABERCA), UMR INRA 1329, Nantes, France
| | - O Söder
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Karolinska Institute & University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - K Svechnikov
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Karolinska Institute & University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Savchuk I, Morvan ML, Antignac JP, Gemzell-Danielsson K, Le Bizec B, Söder O, Svechnikov K. The human genital tubercle is steroidogenic organ at early pregnancy. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2018; 477:148-155. [PMID: 29928928 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2018.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Revised: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
It is generally accepted that androgens produced by fetal Leydig cells (FLC) control proper masculinization of the male external genitalia. Here, we hypothesized that the human genital tubercle (GT) has potential to synthesize androgens independently of FLC at early pregnancy. We observed that human GT of both genders have capacity to synthesize steroids of the Δ4, Δ5 and alternative pathway of DHT synthesis including the androgen itself. The presence of steroids in the GT was associated with the expression of corresponding steroidogenic enzymes. Levels of steroids and the expression of steroidogenic enzymes were similar in the GT from male and female fetuses. In contrast to the GT, the human fetal testis synthesized DHT from testosterone but not via the alternative pathway. Our findings strongly suggest that the human GT at early pregnancy can synthesize DHT via the alternative pathway, which may play an important role in organogenesis of the urethra.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Savchuk
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Karolinska Institutet & University Hospital, SE-17176, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - M L Morvan
- LUNAM Université, École nationale vétérinaire, agroalimentaire et de l'alimentation Nantes-Atlantique (Oniris), Laboratoire d'Étude des Résidus et Contaminants dans les aliments (LABERCA), UMR INRA, 1329, Nantes, France
| | - J P Antignac
- LUNAM Université, École nationale vétérinaire, agroalimentaire et de l'alimentation Nantes-Atlantique (Oniris), Laboratoire d'Étude des Résidus et Contaminants dans les aliments (LABERCA), UMR INRA, 1329, Nantes, France
| | - K Gemzell-Danielsson
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Divivision of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska Institutet & University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - B Le Bizec
- LUNAM Université, École nationale vétérinaire, agroalimentaire et de l'alimentation Nantes-Atlantique (Oniris), Laboratoire d'Étude des Résidus et Contaminants dans les aliments (LABERCA), UMR INRA, 1329, Nantes, France
| | - O Söder
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Karolinska Institutet & University Hospital, SE-17176, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - K Svechnikov
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Karolinska Institutet & University Hospital, SE-17176, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Bujnakova Mlynarcikova A, Scsukova S. Simultaneous effects of endocrine disruptor bisphenol A and flavonoid fisetin on progesterone production by granulosa cells. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol 2018; 59:66-73. [PMID: 29544186 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2018.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Revised: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, we aimed to examine effects of different concentrations of the endocrine disruptor Bisphenol A (BPA; 1 nM, 1 μM, 100 μM) and the flavonoid fisetin (1, 10, 25, 50 μM), individually and in combinations, on steroidogenic function of porcine ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) represented by progesterone production. We confirmed that BPA inhibited progesterone production by GCs at the highest concentration. Fisetin reduced gonadotropin-stimulated progesterone synthesis dose-dependently, and in this manner, fisetin impaired progesterone production when added to BPA-treated GCs. The mechanisms of the inhibitory effects of the combinations included a significant down-regulation of the key steroidogenesis-related genes (STAR, CYP11A1, HSD3B). Our findings suggest for the first time that fisetin might interfere with ovarian steroidogenesis, and might not have beneficial but rather aggravating effects in terms of modulating progesterone synthesis altered by high concentrations of BPA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alzbeta Bujnakova Mlynarcikova
- Department of Molecular Endocrinology, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Biomedical Research Center SAS, Bratislava, Slovakia.
| | - Sona Scsukova
- Department of Molecular Endocrinology, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Biomedical Research Center SAS, Bratislava, Slovakia
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