The stimulatory effects of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), insulin, and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) on lactate production and hexose uptake by Sertoli cells from immature rats were studied. The time-courses and the maximal stimulatory effects of FSH, insulin, and IGF-I on lactate production were virtually identical. When Sertoli cells were incubated in the presence of FSH in combination with insulin or IGF-I (submaximal doses), additive but no pronounced synergistic effects were observed. The stimulatory effects of FSH and insulin were not dependent on the presence of extracellular calcium. 2-Deoxy-D-glucose (2-DOG), an analogue of D-glucose, was used to investigate the hexose transport system of Sertoli cells. Uptake of 2-DOG was linear in time and virtually all of the intracellular 2-DOG was phosphorylated up to 30 min of incubation; 2-DOG uptake was inhibited by cytochalasin B, but not by cytochalasin E. D-glucose, but not D-galactose, appeared to be an effective competitor of 2-DOG uptake. The Km of 2-DOG uptake was not influenced by FSH, insulin, and IGF-I. FSH had no effect on the Vmax of 2-DOG uptake, whereas insulin and IGF-I caused a 30% stimulation of the Vmax. It is concluded that FSH, insulin, and IGF-I stimulate lactate production by cultured Sertoli cells, but that only insulin and IGF-I stimulate hexose transport. The insulin-like effect of FSH on Sertoli cells may principally involve stimulation of glycolytic enzyme activities.
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Oonk et al. (1989) studied this question.