Regulation of mitochondrial dynamics proteins in MA-10 Leydig cells: the role of Mitofusin 2 on Acyl-CoA synthetase expression, a key enzyme in steroidogenesis

ANA Z. FIORE; GIULIANA ARGENTINO; KATIA E. HELFENBERGER; ANA FERNANDA CASTILLO; LUCÍA HERRERA; CECILIA PODEROSO

Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires

Congreso; LXIV Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Clínica (SAIC); 2019

Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Clínica (SAIC)

The participation of mitochondrial dynamics (fusion/fission events) in many physiological processes and in different human pathologies is well known. However, a possible role of mitochondria dynamics in steroid production has been little explored. Mitochondrial fusion is driven by GTPases like Mitofusins 1 and 2 (Mfn1/2) and Optic Atrophy 1 (OPA1) whereas mitochondrial fission mainly involves Dynamin-like protein 1 (Drp1). Steroidogenesis depends on several mitochondrial proteins as PKA, StAR, ERK/MEK, SHP2 (tyrosine phosphatase) and Acyl-CoA synthetase 4 (Acsl4). We have previously demonstrated that Mfn2 participates in steroids production and in the appropriate StAR mitochondrial localization in MA-10 Leydig cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the regulation of mitochondrial dynamics proteins by steroidogenic hormones and the role of Mfn2 in protein subcellular localization in MA-10 Leydig cells. We observed that Mfn2 levels significantly increase after human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) or 8Br-AMPc (second messenger analogue) stimulation, up to 24h (p