This study focused the effects of Lespedeza cuneata extract (LCE) on testosterone synthesis and degradation in TM3 cells oxidatively stressed by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Testosterone level was decreased when the cells were treated by H2O2, but it was restored to control level by LCE treatment in a dose dependent manner. We examined the expression of the genes involved in the synthesis or degradation of testosterone to investigate the effect of LEC on the testosterone metabolic pathway. The gene expression levels of CYP11A1, 17, 20-desmolase, 3β-HSD2 and 17β-HSD3 which are involved in testosterone synthesis were decreased by H2O2 and were recovered by LCE treatment. Furthermore, aromatase and 5α-reductase2 which are involved in testosterone degradation were increased by H2O2 and were decreased to the control level through LCE treatment. In conclusion, LCE restored testosterone level to control level through increasing the expression of testosterone synthetase and decreasing the expression of testosterone converting enzyme in oxidatively stressed TM3 cells. We demonstrated that LCE has a protective effect on testosterone reduction followed by andropause state.
서 론(Introduction)
실험 방법(Experimental Methods)
결 과(Results)
고 찰(Discussion)
결 론(Conclusion)