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Effect of 5-thio-D-glucose on protein synthesis in vitro by various types of cells from rat testes

It has been shown that 5-thio-D-glucose (thioglucose) inhibits protein biosynthesis by highly purified fractions of immature spermatids (Zysk, Bushway, Whistler & Carlton, 1975; Nakamura & Hall, 1976). The inhibition occurs when thioglucose is added to spermatids in vitro or administered in vivo for as short a time as 2 days (Nakamura & Hall, 1976). Thioglucose is a chemical analogue of glucose, and spermatids are highly dependent upon glucose as a source of energy for protein syntheses (Paul, Paul, Kopo, Bender & Everett, 1953; Waites & Setchell, 1964). It is likely, therefore, that the contraceptive action of thioglucose may be associated with inhibition of protein synthesis in spermatids. In the study by Nakamura & Hall (1976) the response to thioglucose was not confined to spermatids but was also observed (to a lesser degree) in other fractions of testicular cells. These fractions were, however, contaminated by spermatids and it could not be determined whether the inhibition of protein synthesis was confined to spermatids. The present studies were designed to approach this problem by examining the effect of thioglucose on cell fractions other than spermatids, using methods which produced fractions of greater purity.