James Hutson, Ph. D.
| Professor | james.hutson@ttuhsc.edu |
Research Interests
I am interested in the interactions between Leydig cells and macrophages of the testis. We have found that testicular macrophages secrete 25-hydroxycholesterol, an oxysterol that can serve as a substrate for testosterone production by Leydig cells. It has also been shown that this compound can regulate StAR, a key point in the regulation of testosterone biocynthesis. This oxysterol can also influence the development of Leydig cells and inhibit the actions of LH on Leydig cells in culture. In return, Leydig cells are capable of regulating the number of macrophages in the testis by releasing a mitogen under the regulation of LH and by secreting testosterone that inhibits the production of 25-hydroxycholesterol. The studies presently being conducted in my laboratory are focused on the regulation of 25-hydroxycholesterol in testicular macrophages and the molecular mechanisms through which 25-hydroxycholesterol influences Leydig cells.
I am also interested in determining if 25-hydroxycholesterol produced by peritoneal macrophages can serve as a substrate for estrogen synthesis by endometriotic cells thereby contributing to the etiology of endometriosis.
Recent Publications
- Nes WD, Lukyanenko YO, Jia ZH, Quideau S, Howald WN, Pratum T, West R, Hutson JC. (2000) Identification of the lipophilic factor produced by macrophages that stimulates steroidogenesis. Endocrinology 141:953-958.
- Cooley JD, Wong, WC, Jumper CA, Hutson JC, Williams HJ, Straus D. (2000) An animal model for allergic penicilliosis induced by the intranasal instillation of viable Penicillium chrysogenum condidia. Thorax 55:489-496.
- Lukyanenko YO, Carpenter AM, Boone MM, Baker Jr. CRF, McGunegle DE, Hutson JC. (2000) Specificity of a new lipid mediator produced by testicular and peritoneal macrophages on steroidogenesis. Int J Androl. 23:258-265
- Lukyanenko YO, Chen JJ, Hutson JC. 2001 Production of 25-hydroxycholesterol by testicular macrophages, and its effects on Leydig cells Biol Reprod 64:790-796.
- Chen JJ, Lukyanenko YO, Hutson JC. 2002. 25-Hydroxycholesterol is produced by testicular macrophages during the early postnatal period and influences differentiation of Leydig cells in vitro. Biol Reprod 66:1336-1341.
- Lukyanenko YO, Jau-Jiin Chen, Hutson JC. 2002 Testosterone regulates 25-hydroxycholesterol production in testicular macrophages. Biol Reprod 67:1435-1438.
- Stoltenberg, M, Hutson JC. 2004 Bismuth uptake in rat testicular macrophages. A follow up observation suggesting that bismuth alters interactions between testicular macrophages and Leydig cells. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 52:1241-1243.
- Weissman BA, Niu E, Ge R, Sottas C, Holmes M., Hutson JC, Hardy MP. 2005 Nitric oxide, androgen synthesis and endogenous nitric oxide synthase activity in rat Leydig cells. J Andrology, 26:369-378.
- Hutson JC. 2005 Effects of bismuth citrate on the viability and function of Leydig cells and testicular macrophages. 2005 J Appl Toxicol 26:234-238.
- Wang X, Shen C, Dyson M, Orly J, Hutson J, Stocco D. 2005 Cycloogenase-2 regulation of age-related decline in testosterone biosynthesis. Endocrinology 146:4202-8.
- Von Schalburg KR, McCarthy SP, Rise ML, Hutson JC, Davidson WS, Koop BF. 2006 Localized expression of morphogenic genes in mature ovarian and testicular tissues: Potential stem-cell niche markers and patterning factors. Mol Reprod Dev. 73:142-52.
- Hutson, JC. 2006 Physiological Interaction Between Testicular macrophages and Leydig Cells. Exp Biol Med 231:1-7.