Journal of Andrology, Vol 10, Issue 3 195-201, Copyright © 1989 by The American Society of Andrology

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Incorporation of gossypol and formation of its protein conjugates in mouse transformed Sertoli (TM4) cells

N. Tanphaichitr and L. M. Fitzgerald
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa. Ontario, Canada.

Mitochondria of both mouse transformed Sertoli (TM4) cells and primary-cultured rat and mouse Sertoli cells were shown to be preferentially affected by gossypol (Tanphaichitr et al, 1984). To investigate whether this selective effect was due to a greater of TM4 cells to accumulate gossypol, TM4 and other somatic cell lines, including dog (MDCK) and kangaroo (PtK2) kidney epithelial cells, rat embryo fibroblasts (Rat-1) and mouse BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts, were incubated with [14C]gossypol and the incorporated specific activity of the drug was assessed. The results indicate that TM4 cells accumulated [14C]gossypol at the highest level. Incorporated [14C]gossypol appeared to bind to TM4 cell macromolecules and remained in the dialysis tubing after extensive dialysis. Characterization of these gossypol-conjugated proteins by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electro-proteins had apparent Mr's of 92,500, 70,000, 63,200, 60,000, 58,100, 54,000, 52,000, 50,000, 47,500, 40,000 37,000, 35,000, 30,000, 20,000, and 14,500 daltons. Conjugation of these proteins with gossypol may result in macromolecular dysfunction and abnormal structure.