Effects of the mixture of fenugreek seeds and Lespedeza cuneata extracts on testosterone synthesis in TM3 cells oxidative stressed with H₂O₂

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of a mixture of fenugreek seeds and Lespedeza cuneata extracts on testosterone synthesis in TM3 cells that were oxidatively stressed with H 2 O 2 . In order to oxidatively stress TM3 cells, the cells were treated with 50 μM hydrogen peroxide for 4 hr in serum-free media. Yagwanmun-horopa mixture (YHM) showed neither cytotoxicity nor increment of cell proliferation in the oxidatively stressed TM3 cells in any concentration. When the cells were treated with hydrogen peroxide, testosterone levels decreased, but the testosterone level was returned to that of the control level in the presence of YHM. In order to find out the reasons for the increase of testosterone, the expression of the genes involved in the synthesis or disintegration of testosterone. On the other hand, the levels of 3β-HSD4 and 17, 20-desmorase, which are involved in testosterone synthesis, were decreased through the use of hydrogen peroxide and were recovered through YHM treatment. Aromatase and 5α-reductase2, which convert testosterone to estradiol and dihydrotestosterone, respectively, were increased through the use of hydrogen peroxide, and were returned to control level through YHM treatment. These results suggest that YHM does not affect TM3 cell proliferation. However, YHM increases the expression of testosterone-synthesizing enzyme, which was decreased through oxidative stress, and decreases the expression of testosterone-converting enzyme, which was increased through oxidative stress. Therefore, it is reasonable that YHM has strong recovery activity on testosterone to normal level, even in the oxidatively stressed TM3 cells which mimics the andropause state.

Cordycepin mitigates spermatogenic and redox related expression in H 2 O 2 -exposed Leydig cells and regulates testicular oxidative apoptotic signalling in aged rats

“… 2015 ; Lee et al. 2016 ). Accordingly, H 2 O 2 significantly decreased the testosterone levels in TM3 cells and treatment with COR dose-dependently restored the testosterone levels indicating that COR might play a crucial role in regulating the primary sex hormone functions in developing the male reproductive germ cells.…”