Metabolism of adrenal cholesterol in man. I. In vivo studies

The kinetics of plasma and adrenal cholesteral equilibration were analyzed in patients undergoing bilateral adrenalectomy for generalized mammary carcinoma. A biological model is proposed to help in the understanding of adrenal cholesterol physiology. It comprises two intracellular compartments: (1) A compartment of free adrenal cholesterol which is small (of the order of 17 mg) but turns over very fast; it is renewed approximately 8 times per day: 3 times by the inflow of free plasma cholesterol, and 5 times by the hydrolysis of esterified adrenal cholesterol, the contribution of adrenal cholesterol synthesis appearing to be relatively small. (2) A compartment of esterified adrenal cholesterol which is 20 times larger; it is constantly renewed by in situ esterification and hydrolysis with a daily fractional turnover rate of the order of 0.25. The direct and selective accumulation of plasma cholesteryl esters is practically absent. Only free adrenal cholesterol returns to plasma, mostly after conversion into steroid "hormones."However small the synthesis of adrenal cholesterol may be, it seems more important in the zona "reticularis." On the other hand, the inflow of plasma cholesterol and the turnover of the free adrenal compartment tend to be faster in the zona "fasciculata." The equilibration of plasma and adrenal cholesterol can proceed unmodified under conditions of ACTH suppression. In one patient with Cushing's disease the size of the two adrenal compartments was clearly increased but their equilibration with plasma cholesterol proceeded normally. In another patient the kinetics of hydrocortisone corresponded to those of free adrenal cholesterol in the control studies.

Metabolism of adrenal cholesterol in man. II. In vitro studies including a comparison of adrenal cholesterol synthesis with the synthesis of the clucocorticosteroid hormones

The synthesis of adrenal cholesterol, its esterification and the synthesis of the glucocorticosteroid hormones were studied in vitro on human adrenal tissue. It was found that the synthesis of adrenal cholesterol may normally be small in the zona "fasciculata," particularly when compared with the synthesis of the glucocorticosteroid hormones, that it is several times higher in the zona "reticularis" where esterified cholesterol is less abundant, and that under ACTH stimulation it increases strikingly and proportionally to the degree of esterified adrenal cholesterol depletion. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE RELATIVE RATE OF ESTERIFICATION AS WELL AS THE CONCENTRATION OF FREE ADRENAL CHOLESTEROL ARE REMARKABLY STABLE: they do not differ according to the adrenal zonation and are unaffected by ACTH. Furthermore, from a qualitative point of view, the relative proportions of Delta(1) and Delta(2) cholesteryl esters formed in situ are similar to those anticipated from their relative concentrations, suggesting that the characteristic fatty acid distribution of the adrenal cholesteryl esters results from an in situ esterification rather than from a selective uptake of the plasma cholesteryl esters. Besides, the in vitro esterification reveals a propensity to the formation of the most unsaturated cholesteryl esters. Regarding hydrocortisone and corticosterone, their synthesis tends to be more elevated in the zona "fasciculata." Despite its higher cholesterol concentration the zona "fasciculata" should not therefore be viewed as a quiescent functional complement to the zona "reticularis" and the cortical distribution of glucocorticosteroid hormone synthesis is quite distinct from that of adrenal cholesterol synthesis.