Paradoxical involvement of glucocorticoid receptors in the aldosterone-induced impairment of ACTH secretion from perifused pituitary glands

Up-regulation of cyclooxygenase-1 in neuroblastoma cell lines by retinoic acid and corticosteroids

Cyclooxygenases-1 and -2 are both expressed in neuronal cells in vivo. In the neuroblastoma cell lines NG108 and N2a, however, only cyclooxygenase-1 was detectable. Differentiation of the cells with retinoic acid increased cyclooxygenase-1 mRNA and protein expression within 24 and 48 h, respectively. A further increase was observed when the cells were concomitantly treated with the glucocorticoid dexamethasone (a 2-3-fold increase compared with retinoic acid alone). In the absence of retinoic acid, dexamethasone only slightly up-regulated cyclooxygenase-1 expression. The inhibitor of protein synthesis cycloheximide abrogated the effect of dexamethasone, indicating the involvement of newly synthesised proteins. Retinoic acid increased the transcription of cyclooxygenase-1 mRNA, determined with a luciferase-coupled promoter construct. Dexamethasone only slightly augmented cyclooxygenase-1-promoter activity but increased cyclooxygenase-1 mRNA stability. Other corticosteroids, hydrocortisone and aldosterone, also up-regulated cyclooxygenase-1 whereas neurosteroids or oestrogen were ineffective. Up-regulation was mediated primarily by the glucocorticoid receptor, because the receptor antagonist RU486 strongly reduced the effects of all corticosteroids. This indicated that in NG108 cells, the mineralocorticoid aldosterone may bind to the glucocorticoid receptor. Treatment of NG108 or N2a cells with corticosteroids did not alter the morphological phenotype obtained during differentiation. We thus show that corticosteroids, which down-regulate cyclooxygenase expression in most cell types, up-regulate cyclooxygenase-1 during neuronal differentiation.

The antiglucocorticoid action of mifepristone

Glucocorticoid hormones influence the physiological activity of almost all cell types in the mammal. This is accomplished via a soluble receptor that, in the presence of an appropriate steroid, modifies the activity of RNA polymerase by binding to the site where different factors assemble for the initiation of cell transcription. The development of antiglucocorticoids has permitted the molecular elucidation of a number of underlying events. Contrary to the classical view, it is now clear that the affinity, stability and activability of the glucocorticoid receptor in the presence of a steroid are cell- and/or tissue-dependent events. The antiglucocorticoid RU 38486 can even activate transcription by binding to sites distinct from those that process transactivation by the agonist. Furthermore, glucocorticoids can sometimes activate the mineralocorticoid receptor, whereas mineralocorticoids can bind the glucocorticoid receptor. Since mifepristone is devoid of adverse toxicity, it has been used for the paraclinical diagnosis of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in normal volunteers, subjects with disorders of the behaviour, and the treatment of Cushing's disease. However, the whole spectrum of cell-specific processes that are antagonized by RU 38486 suggests wide ranging possibilities in the eventual application of antigluco-corticoids.

Oestrogens down-regulate type I but not type II adrenal corticoid receptors in rat anterior pituitary

We have studied type I and type II adrenal cortical steroid receptors in the anterior (AL), intermediate (IL) and posterior (PL) lobes of the pituitary and in the hippocampus of ovariectomized-adrenalectomized female rats and in castrated-adrenalectomized male animals, with or without oestrogen treatment. Using [3H]dexamethasone as ligand and conditions suitable for determination of its binding to type I and type II receptors, we found that 4 or 15 days of oestrogen reduced type I receptors in AL by 50-60% without changes in IL, PL or hippocampus, or in type II sites in any of the four neuroendocrine tissues studied. This down-regulatory effect was seen only in female rats and no change was found for males. The reduction in type I sites in AL in oestrogenized female rats was confirmed by labelling type I sites with the synthetic antimineralocorticoid [3H]ZK 91587. Saturation analysis with [3H]ZK 91587 demonstrated that the reduction was due to a reduction in Bmax without change in Kd. We conclude that: (a) type I receptors in the anterior pituitary are under oestrogenic control; (b) there is a sex difference in the response to oestrogen of AL type I sites; and (c) this demonstration may be useful in determining the role of type I receptors in neuroendocrine regulation of the anterior pituitary by hormones derived from the adrenal cortex, and the participation of sex hormones in this process.

RU38486 blocks the steroid regulation of transmitter choice in cultured rat sympathetic ganglia

Sympathetic neurones grown in tissue culture change phenotype from adrenergic to cholinergic due to a factor released by non-neuronal cells. Glucocorticosteroids prevent the production of this factor by non-neuronal cells and hence prevent the change in phenotype. Conventional steroid antagonists, however, fail to block this effect. We report here that the steroid antagonist RU38486 is effective in preventing the action of corticosterone on cultured sympathetic ganglia and hence may be a useful in vivo tool to study the steroid regulation of development.

Pituitary-adrenal function after transplantation in rats: dependence on age of the adrenal graft

Comparisons of resting plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and corticosterone in the morning and afternoon were made among adult rats bearing regenerated adult adrenal grafts, neonatal (day 1) adrenal grafts, adult adrenal capsule grafts, or intact adrenals. In the morning plasma ACTH and corticosterone were similar in all rats. In the afternoon, plasma ACTH was elevated in rats bearing neonatal adrenal grafts or adult adrenal capsule grafts, but not in rats bearing whole adult adrenal grafts. There was no difference in afternoon plasma corticosterone among rats bearing transplanted adrenals, although afternoon plasma corticosterone was decreased in rats bearing transplants compared with rats with intact adrenals. Thus the increased plasma ACTH after adrenal transplantation cannot be explained entirely by decreases in resting plasma corticosterone. Adrenal responsiveness to ACTH was tested at 5 wk after transplantation in the afternoon by measuring the plasma corticosterone response to submaximal doses of ACTH. The responsiveness was decreased in rats bearing transplants. In addition, responsiveness was inversely related to the age of the grafted adrenal tissue. Adrenals regenerated from adult adrenals were more responsive than adrenals regenerated either from neonatal adrenals or from adult adrenal capsules. The findings suggest that following adrenal transplantation reestablishment of normal pituitary-adrenocortical function does not occur in rats bearing adrenals regenerated from immature adrenal cells. In addition, comparable alterations occur after regeneration of adrenal tissue from neonatal adrenal cells and adult adrenal capsular cells. Elevated plasma ACTH associated with adequate plasma corticosterone in rats bearing adrenals regenerated from immature adrenal cells may result from chronic alteration in responsiveness to steroid feedback.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

RU 38486: a potent antiglucocorticoid in vitro and in vivo

The antiglucocorticoid activity of RU 38486, was studied both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro studies, RU 38486 was characterized by a high affinity (3 times higher than that of dexamethasone) for the cytosolic glucocorticoid receptor in rat hepatoma tissue culture (HTC) cells. This high affinity was due to a very low dissociation rate of the complexes formed with the receptor. In whole cells it was a potent full antagonist of dexamethasone-induced tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) activity: the IC50 was 6-7 times lower than the concentration of the dexamethasone used. It was devoid of any glucocorticoid activity up to a concentration of 10 microM. In in vivo studies using adrenalectomized rats, RU 38486 totally inhibited dexamethasone-induced hepatic tryptophan oxygenase (TO) activity. It is also the first pure antagonist of dexamethasone-induced hepatic TAT. However, doses as high as 5 mg/kg of body weight were required for a 50% inhibition of the effect of dexamethasone at 0.01 mg/kg. RU 38486 did not display any glucocorticoid effect on these two responses up to 50 mg/kg.