The effect of testicular macrophages, macrophage-conditioned medium and interleukin-1α on the cytoskeleton of bank vole Leydig cells

Recently, morphological and functional interactions between cytoskeletal elements and their involvement in cell movements, shape changes and/or translocation of organelles have been intensively studied. Thus, the aim of our work was to determine whether testicular macrophages and/or their products have an influence on Leydig cell cytoskeleton. The source of Leydig cells and macrophages were male bank voles from spring and autumn generations, reared in different regime of light for 7-8 weeks. The Leydig cells were growing in monocultures or in co-cultures with testicular macrophages. All cell cultures were divided to controls or human chorionic gonadotropin-stimulated ones. To some of the cultures testicular macrophage-conditioned medium or interleukin-1 alpha were added. The cells were analysed immunocytochemically and radioimmunologically. In Leydig cells obtained from animals kept in a long day, grown in co-cultures with macrophages as well as in those stimulated by testicular macrophage-conditioned medium, distinct rearrangements of microtubules and microfilaments were observed. This phenomenon was strenghtened in the presence of hCG in culture media. Concomitantly, basal and hCG-stimulated level of testosterone was enhanced, which indicates the possible involvement of the cytoskeleton in the process of androgen biosynthesis. The influence of IL-1 alpha on reorganization of cytoskeletal structures was not observed, suggesting that in the modulation of steroidogenesis by this cytokine cytoskeletal elements do not play an important role.