A synergistic effect of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) on equine luteinizing hormone (eLH)-induced testosterone production from cultured Leydig cells of horses

Localization of IGF-I and IGF-IR were observed in Leydig cells of horses using immunohistochemistry (IHC), suggesting IGF-I may play a role in equine Leydig cell steroidogenesis. Previous studies in other species have indicated that IGF-I increases basal and/or LH/hCG-induced testosterone production. The objectives of this study were to (1) test the synergistic effect of IGF-I on eLH-induced testosterone production in cultured equine Leydig cells and (2) determine if this effect is reproductive stage-dependent. Testes were collected from five pubertal (1.1 ± 0.1 year; 1–1.5 year) and eight post-pubertal (2.88 ± 0.35 years; 2–4 years) stallions during routine castrations at the UC Davis Veterinary Hospital. Leydig cells were isolated using validated enzymatic and mechanical procedures. Leydig cells were treated without (control) or with increasing concentrations of purified pituitary-derived eLH and/or recombinant human IGF-I (rhIGF-I) and incubated under 95% air: 5% CO2 at 32 °C for 24 h. After 24 h, culture media was collected and frozen at −20 °C until analyzed for testosterone by a validated radioimmunoassay (RIA). In pubertal stallions, treatment with both increasing concentrations of rhIGF-I and 5 ng/ml of eLH failed to demonstrate a significant difference in testosterone production compared with 5 ng/ml of eLH only. However, in post-pubertal stallions, a significant increase in the concentration of testosterone in culture media was observed from Leydig cells treated with various concentrations of rhIGF-I and 1 or 5 ng/ml of eLH compared with 1 or 5 ng/ml of eLH only. In conclusion, IGF-I has a synergistic effect on eLH-induced testosterone production in cultured equine Leydig cells from post-pubertal but not pubertal stallions.