Control of calcium homeostasis by angiotensin II in adrenal glomerulosa cells through activation of p38 MAPK

Effect of developmental NMDAR antagonism with CGP 39551 on aspartame-induced hypothalamic and adrenal gene expression

Rationale

Aspartame (L-aspartyl phenylalanine methyl ester) is a non-nutritive sweetener (NNS) approved for use in more than 6000 dietary products and pharmaceuticals consumed by the general public including adults and children, pregnant and nursing mothers. However a recent prospective study reported a doubling of the risk of being overweight amongst 1-year old children whose mothers consumed NNS-sweetened beverages daily during pregnancy. We have previously shown that chronic aspartame (ASP) exposure commencing in utero may detrimentally affect adulthood adiposity status, glucose metabolism and aspects of behavior and spatial cognition, and that this can be modulated by developmental N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) blockade with the competitive antagonist CGP 39551 (CGP). Since glucose homeostasis and certain aspects of behavior and locomotion are regulated in part by the NMDAR-rich hypothalamus, which is part of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal- (HPA) axis, we have elected to examine changes in hypothalamic and adrenal gene expression in response to ASP exposure in the presence or absence of developmental NMDAR antagonism with CGP, using Affymetrix microarray analysis.

Results

Using 2-factor ANOVA we identified 189 ASP-responsive differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the adult male hypothalamus and 2188 in the adrenals, and a further 23 hypothalamic and 232 adrenal genes significantly regulated by developmental treatment with CGP alone. ASP exposure robustly elevated the expression of a network of genes involved in hypothalamic neurosteroidogenesis, together with cell stress and inflammatory genes, consistent with previous reports of aspartame-induced CNS stress and oxidative damage. These genes were not differentially expressed in ASP mice with CGP antagonism. In the adrenal glands of ASP-exposed mice, GABA and Glutamate receptor subunit genes were amongst those most highly upregulated. Developmental NMDAR antagonism alone had less effect on adulthood gene expression and affected mainly hypothalamic neurogenesis and adrenal steroid metabolism. Combined ASP + CGP treatment mainly upregulated genes involved in adrenal drug and cholesterol metabolism.

Conclusion

ASP exposure increased the expression of functional networks of genes involved in hypothalamic neurosteroidogenesis and adrenal catecholamine synthesis, patterns of expression which were not present in ASP-exposed mice with developmental NMDAR antagonism.

Regulation of aldosterone synthesis and secretion

Aldosterone is a steroid hormone synthesized in and secreted from the outer layer of the adrenal cortex, the zona glomerulosa. Aldosterone is responsible for regulating sodium homeostasis, thereby helping to control blood volume and blood pressure. Insufficient aldosterone secretion can lead to hypotension and circulatory shock, particularly in infancy. On the other hand, excessive aldosterone levels, or those too high for sodium status, can cause hypertension and exacerbate the effects of high blood pressure on multiple organs, contributing to renal disease, stroke, visual loss, and congestive heart failure. Aldosterone is also thought to directly induce end-organ damage, including in the kidneys and heart. Because of the significance of aldosterone to the physiology and pathophysiology of the cardiovascular system, it is important to understand the regulation of its biosynthesis and secretion from the adrenal cortex. Herein, the mechanisms regulating aldosterone production in zona glomerulosa cells are discussed, with a particular emphasis on signaling pathways involved in the secretory response to the main controllers of aldosterone production, the renin-angiotensin II system, serum potassium levels and adrenocorticotrophic hormone. The signaling pathways involved include phospholipase C-mediated phosphoinositide hydrolysis, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate, cytosolic calcium levels, calcium influx pathways, calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases, diacylglycerol, protein kinases C and D, 12-hydroxyeicostetraenoic acid, phospholipase D, mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways, tyrosine kinases, adenylate cyclase, and cAMP-dependent protein kinase. A complete understanding of the signaling events regulating aldosterone biosynthesis may allow the identification of novel targets for therapeutic interventions in hypertension, primary aldosteronism, congestive heart failure, renal disease, and other cardiovascular disorders.

Steroidogenesis-adrenal cell signal transduction

The purpose of this article is to review fundamentals in adrenal gland histophysiology. Key findings regarding the important signaling pathways involved in the regulation of steroidogenesis and adrenal growth are summarized. We illustrate how adrenal gland morphology and function are deeply interconnected in which novel signaling pathways (Wnt, Sonic hedgehog, Notch, β-catenin) or ionic channels are required for their integrity. Emphasis is given to exploring the mechanisms and challenges underlying the regulation of proliferation, growth, and functionality. Also addressed is the fact that while it is now well-accepted that steroidogenesis results from an enzymatic shuttle between mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum, key questions still remain on the various aspects related to cellular uptake and delivery of free cholesterol. The significant progress achieved over the past decade regarding the precise molecular mechanisms by which the two main regulators of adrenal cortex, adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) and angiotensin II act on their receptors is reviewed, including structure-activity relationships and their potential applications. Particular attention has been given to crucial second messengers and how various kinases, phosphatases, and cytoskeleton-associated proteins interact to ensure homeostasis and/or meet physiological demands. References to animal studies are also made in an attempt to unravel associated clinical conditions. Many of the aspects addressed in this article still represent a challenge for future studies, their outcome aimed at providing evidence that the adrenal gland, through its steroid hormones, occupies a central position in many situations where homeostasis is disrupted, thus highlighting the relevance of exploring and understanding how this key organ is regulated. © 2014 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 4:889-964, 2014.

Aldosterone and parathyroid hormone: a precarious couple for cardiovascular disease

Animal and human studies support a clinically relevant interaction between aldosterone and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels and suggest an impact of the interaction on cardiovascular (CV) health. This review focuses on mechanisms behind the bidirectional interactions between aldosterone and PTH and their potential impact on the CV system. There is evidence that PTH increases the secretion of aldosterone from the adrenals directly as well as indirectly by activating the renin-angiotensin system. Upregulation of aldosterone synthesis might contribute to the higher risk of arterial hypertension and of CV damage in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. Furthermore, parathyroidectomy is followed by decreased blood pressure levels and reduced CV morbidity as well as lower renin and aldosterone levels. In chronic heart failure, the aldosterone activity is inappropriately elevated, causing salt retention; it has been argued that the resulting calcium wasting causes secondary hyperparathyroidism. The ensuing intracellular calcium overload and oxidative stress, caused by PTH and amplified by the relative aldosterone excess, may increase the risk of CV events. In the setting of primary aldosteronism, renal and faecal calcium loss triggers increased PTH secretion which in turn aggravates aldosterone secretion and CV damage. This sequence explains why adrenalectomy and blockade of the mineralocorticoid receptor tend to decrease PTH levels in patients with primary aldosteronism. In view of the reciprocal interaction between aldosterone and PTH and the potentially ensuing CV damage, studies are urgently needed to evaluate diagnostic and therapeutic strategies addressing the interaction between the two hormones.

Adrenal cell aldosterone production is stimulated by very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)

Very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) are a class of large lipoprotein synthesized in the liver. The key function of VLDL, in vivo, is to carry triglyceride from the liver to adipose tissue. As a steroidogenic organ, the adrenal gland mainly uses lipoproteins as sources of cholesterol. Although VLDL receptors have been detected in the human adrenal, the function of VLDL in the adrenal gland remains unknown. Herein, we used primary cultures of human and bovine adrenal cells and the adrenocortical cell line H295R as models to determine the effects of VLDL on adrenal steroidogenesis. Our studies revealed that VLDL significantly increased aldosterone synthesis in all of the models tested. This increase was largely due to VLDL's stimulation of the expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein and aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2). VLDL increased CYP11B2 mRNA expression in a concentration-dependent manner. Effects of VLDL on CYP11B2 transcript levels were not additive with angiotensin II or potassium but were additive with the cAMP pathway agonists ACTH and forskolin. Nifedipine completely inhibited the effects of VLDL on CYP11B2 mRNA, suggesting that calcium is the main signal transduction pathway used by VLDL in adrenal cells. Indeed, VLDL increased cytosolic free calcium levels. An in vivo study conducted in sucrose-fed rats showed a positive correlation between elevated triglyceride (VLDL) levels in plasma and CYP11B2 expression in the adrenal. In conclusion, we have shown that VLDL can stimulate aldosterone synthesis in adrenocortical cells by increasing StAR and CYP11B2 expression, an event likely mediated by a calcium-initiated signaling cascade.

P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor, FR167653, inhibits parathyroid hormone related protein-induced osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption

p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) acts downstream in the signaling pathway that includes receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK), a powerful inducer of osteoclast formation and activation. We investigated the role of p38 MAPK in parathyroid hormone related protein (PTHrP)-induced osteoclastogenesis in vitro and PTHrP-induced bone resorption in vivo. The ability of FR167653 to inhibit osteoclast formation was evaluated by counting the number of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase positive multinucleated cells (TRAP-positive MNCs) in in vitro osteoclastgenesis assays. Its mechanisms were evaluated by detecting the expression level of c-Fos and nuclear factor of activated T cells c1 (NFATc1) in bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) stimulated with sRANKL and M-CSF, and by detecting the expression level of osteoprotegerin (OPG) and RANKL in bone marrow stromal cells stimulated with PTHrP in the presence of FR167653. The function of FR167653 on bone resorption was assessed by measuring the bone resorption area radiographically and by counting osteoclast number per unit bone tissue area in calvaria in a mouse model of bone resorption by injecting PTHrP subcutaneously onto calvaria. Whole blood ionized calcium levels were also recorded. FR167653 inhibited PTHrP-induced osteoclast formation and PTHrP-induced c-Fos and NFATc1 expression in bone marrow macrophages, but not the expression levels of RANKL and OPG in primary bone marrow stromal cells treated by PTHrP. Furthermore, bone resorption area and osteoclast number in vivo were significantly decreased by the treatment of FR167653. Systemic hypercalcemia was also partially inhibited. Inhibition of p38 MAPK by FR167653 blocks PTHrP-induced osteoclastogenesis in vitro and PTHrP-induced bone resorption in vivo, suggesting that the p38 MAPK signaling pathway plays a fundamental role in PTHrP-induced osteoclastic bone resorption.

Aldosterone production in human adrenocortical cells is stimulated by high-density lipoprotein 2 (HDL2) through increased expression of aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2)

Adrenal aldosterone production is regulated by physiological agonists at the level of early and late rate-limiting steps. Numerous studies have focused on the role of lipoproteins including high-density lipoprotein (HDL) as cholesterol providers in this process; however, recent research suggests that HDL can also act as a signaling molecule. Herein, we used the human H295R adrenocortical cell model to study the effects of HDL on adrenal aldosterone production and CYP11B2 expression. HDL, especially HDL2, stimulated aldosterone synthesis by increasing expression of CYP11B2. HDL treatment increased CYP11B2 mRNA in both a concentration- and time-dependent manner, with a maximal 19-fold increase (24 h, 250 μg/ml of HDL). Effects of HDL on CYP11B2 were not additive with natural agonists including angiotensin II or K(+). HDL effects were likely mediated by a calcium signaling cascade, because a calcium channel blocker and a calmodulin kinase inhibitor abolished the CYP11B2-stimulating effects. Of the two subfractions of HDL, HDL2 was more potent than HDL3 in stimulating aldosterone and CYP11B2. Further studies are needed to identify the active components of HDL, which regulate aldosterone production.

From integrative signalling to metabolic disorders

The adrenal cortex undergoes constant dynamic structural changes, a key element in ensuring integrative functionality of the gland. Studies have shown that the cellular environment can modulate cell functions such as proliferation and steroid secretion. For example, 3-day treatment with angiotensin II promotes protein synthesis with a concomitant decrease in proliferation of glomerulosa cells, when cultured on fibronectin, but not on collagen IV or laminin. These effects involve close interaction between cytoskeleton-associated proteins and activation of p42/p44mapk and p38 MAPK pathways. On the other hand, adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH), which is clearly the most potent stimulus of fasciculata cells, induces specific modulation of targeted proteins, when cells are cultured on collagen IV, but not on fibronectin or laminin. In particular, ACTH treatment leads to increased expression of Seladin-1 and induces the relocalization of Seladin-1 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, both in vivo and in culture conditions, in adult rats and in human fetal adrenal glands. As a whole, these results indicate that Seladin-1, together with collagen IV, is able to modulate ACTH responsiveness. Hence, Seladin-1 may participate in the regulation of steroidogenesis when localized in the cytoplasm, while conversely protecting cells against oxidative stress generated by intense ACTH stimulation when massively localized in the nucleus.

Solid-state NMR studies and DFT calculations of flavonoids: baicalein, baicalin and wogonoside

Three flavonoids of pharmaceutical importance-baicalein, baicalin, and wogonoside-were isolated from a Chinese medicinal plant Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and studied by 13C NMR in solution and solid state. Two-dimensional (2D) NMR spectroscopy in the liquid phase and dipolar dephasing (DD) experiments in magic-angle spinning (MAS) spectra enabled the assignment of 13C resonances. The cross-polarization (CP) time constants T(CH) and relaxation times T(H) (1rho) were obtained from the variable-contact time experiments. The principal elements of the 13C chemical shift tensor were determined in the spectra recorded under slow sample spinning (2 kHz) using phase-adjusted spinning sideband (PASS)-2D NMR technique, and were verified by density functional theory gauge-independent atomic orbital (DFT GIAO) calculations of shielding constants. Analysis of the 13C delta(ii) and comparison with shielding parameters calculated for different conformers of compounds 1-3 enabled the selection of the most reliable geometry in the solid phase. In all three compounds, an intramolecular hydrogen bond C5--OH...=C4 is formed; the existence of baicalein and baicalin with 'anticlockwise' orientation of OH groups is more probable.

Participation of p38 MAPK and a novel-type protein kinase C in the control of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake

Angiotensin II elicits cytosolic and mitochondrial Ca2+ signal in H295R adrenocortical cells. We found that Ca2+ uptake rate and peak values in small mitochondrial regions both depend on the colocalization of these mitochondrial regions with GFP-marked endoplasmic reticular (ER) vesicles. The dependence of the Ca2+ response on this colocalization is abolished by SB202190 and PD169316, inhibitors of p38 MAPK, as well as by transfection with siRNA against p38 MAPK mRNA. The same manoeuvres result in an increased ratio of global mitochondrial to global cytosolic Ca2+ response, indicating that inhibition of p38 MAPK is followed by enhanced mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake. alpha-Toxin and TNFalpha, agents which similarly to angiotensin II increase the phosphorylation of p38, failed to affect mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake, indicating that activation of p38 MAPK is necessary but not sufficient for the inhibition of Ca2+ uptake. Bisindolylmaleimide, an inhibitor of the conventional and novel-type protein kinase C isoforms also evokes enhanced mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake, whereas Gö6976 that inhibits the conventional isoforms only failed to exert any effect. These data show that angiotensin II attenuates Ca2+ uptake predominantly into mitochondria that do not colocalize with ER, by a mechanism involving p38 MAPK and a novel-type PKC.

Angiotensin II-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 expression in bovine adrenal glomerulosa cells: implications in mineralocorticoid biosynthesis

Angiotensin II (AngII) stimulates aldosterone biosynthesis in the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex. AngII also triggers the MAPK pathways (ERK1/2 and p38). Because ERK1/2 phosphorylation is a transient process, phosphatases could play a crucial role in the acute steroidogenic response. Here we show that the dual specificity (threonine/tyrosine) MAPK phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) is present in bovine adrenal glomerulosa cells in primary culture and that AngII markedly increases its expression in a time- and concentration-dependent manner (IC(50) = 1 nm), a maximum of 548 +/- 10% of controls being reached with 10 nm AngII after 3 h (n = 3, P < 0.01). This effect is completely abolished by losartan, a blocker of the AT(1) receptor subtype. Moreover, this AngII-induced MKP-1 expression is reduced to 250 +/- 35% of controls (n = 3, P < 0.01) in the presence of U0126, an inhibitor of ERK1/2 phosphorylation, suggesting an involvement of the ERK1/2 MAPK pathway in MKP-1 induction. Indeed, shortly after AngII-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 (220% of controls at 30 min), MKP-1 protein expression starts to increase. This increase is associated with a reduction in ERK1/2 phosphorylation, which returns to control values after 3 h of AngII challenge. Enhanced MKP-1 expression is essentially due to a stabilization of MKP-1 mRNA. AngII treatment leads to a 53-fold increase in phosphorylated MKP-1 levels and a doubling of MKP-1 phosphatase activity. Overexpression of MKP-1 results in decreased phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and aldosterone production in response to AngII stimulation. These results strongly suggest that MKP-1 is the specific phosphatase induced by AngII and involved in the negative feedback mechanism ensuring adequate ERK1/2-mediated aldosterone production in response to the hormone.

The growth-promoting effects of angiotensin II in adrenal glomerulosa cells: an interactive tale

The zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex is well-known for its high level of proliferation, compared to the adjacent zona fasciculata, both in in vivo and in vitro conditions. Angiotensin II (Ang II) is a potent growth factor for glomerulosa cells, appearing as a proliferative factor in vivo, under sodium-deficient diet conditions, as well as in vitro, in studies conducted with whole zona glomerulosa. However, in cells maintained in primary culture for 3 days, Ang II rather promotes cellular hypertrophy with a concomitant arrest in basal cell proliferation. The present essay aims at providing experimental arguments supporting such unexpected observations, with particular focus on the modulatory impact of the extracellular environment on Ang II action, namely AT(1) receptor-induced signaling pathways and cell responses.

Angiotensin II inhibits native bTREK-1 K+ channels through a PLC-, kinase C-, and PIP2-independent pathway requiring ATP hydrolysis

Angiotensin II (ANG II) inhibits bTREK-1 (bovine KCNK2) K(+) channels in bovine adrenocortical cells through a Gq-coupled AT(1) receptor by activation of separate Ca(2+)- and ATP hydrolysis-dependent signaling pathways. Whole cell patch-clamp recording from bovine adrenal zona fasciculata (AZF) cells was used to characterize the ATP-dependent signaling mechanism for inhibition of bTREK-1 by ANG II. We discovered that ATP-dependent inhibition of bTREK-1 by ANG II occurred through a novel mechanism that was independent of PLC and its established downstream effectors. The ATP-dependent inhibition of bTREK-1 by ANG II was not reduced by the PLC antagonists edelfosine and U73122, or by the PKC antagonists bisindolylmaleimide I (BIM) or calphostin C. bTREK-1 was partially inhibited ( approximately 25%) by the PKC activator phorbol 12,13 dibutyrate (PDBu) through an ATP-dependent mechanism that was blocked by BIM. Addition of Phosphatidylinositol(4,5) bisphosphate diC8 [DiC(8)PI(4,5)P(2)], a water-soluble derivative of phosphotidyl inositol 4,5 bisphosphate (PIP(2)) to the pipette solution failed to alter inhibition by ANG II. bTREK-1 inhibition by ANG II was also insensitive to antagonists of other protein kinases activated by ANG II in adrenocortical cells but was completely blocked by inorganic polytriphosphate PPPi. DiC(8)PI(4,5)P(2) was a weak activator of bTREK-1 channels, compared with the high-affinity ATP analog N(6)-(2-phenylethyl)adenosine-5'-O-triphosphate (6-PhEt-ATP). These results demonstrate that the modulation of bTREK-1 channels in bovine AZF cells is distinctive with respect to activation by phosphoinositides and nucleotides and inhibition by Gq-coupled receptors. Importantly, ANG II inhibits bTREK-1 channels through a novel pathway that is different from that described for inhibition of native TREK-1 channels in neurons, or cloned channels expressed in cell lines. They also indicate that, under physiological conditions, ANG II inhibits bTREK-1 and depolarizes AZF cells by two, novel, independent pathways that diverge proximal to the activation of PLC.

Role of MAPKs in angiotensin II-induced steroidogenesis in rat glomerulosa cells

Angiotensin II is one of the most important stimuli of rat adrenal glomerulosa cells, stimulating both steroid secretion and growth. In a previous report, we had shown that Ang II promotes cellular hypertrophy, but not proliferation, in rat adrenal glomerulosa cells maintained in primary culture for 3 days. The inhibition of proliferation and stimulation of hypertrophy induced by Ang II involves both p42/p44(mapk) and p38 MAPK activation. The increase in cell protein content induced by Ang II entails formation of a cortical actin ring and Rac-dependent activation of p42/p44(mapk) and p38 MAPK. The present study summarizes these results and provides evidences that Ang II-induced activation of p42/p44(mapk) and p38 MAPK are implicated in aldosterone secretion by enhancing expression of specific steroidogenic proteins such as StAR and 3beta-HSD.

An oxidized metabolite of linoleic acid increases intracellular calcium in rat adrenal glomerulosa cells

EKODE, an epoxy-keto derivative of linoleic acid, was previously shown to stimulate aldosterone secretion in rat adrenal glomerulosa cells. In the present study, we investigated the effect of exogenous EKODE on cytosolic [Ca(2+)] increase and aimed to elucidate the mechanism involved in this process. Through the use of the fluorescent Ca(2+)-sensitive dye Fluo-4, EKODE was shown to rapidly increase intracellular [Ca(2+)] ([Ca(2+)](i)) along a bell-shaped dose-response relationship with a maximum peak at 5 microM. Experiments performed in the presence or absence of Ca(2+) revealed that this increase in [Ca(2+)](i) originated exclusively from intracellular pools. EKODE-induced [Ca(2+)](i) increase was blunted by prior application of angiotensin II, Xestospongin C, and cyclopiazonic acid, indicating that inositol trisphosphate (InsP(3))-sensitive Ca(2+) stores can be mobilized by EKODE despite the absence of InsP(3) production. Accordingly, EKODE response was not sensitive to the phospholipase C inhibitor U-73122. EKODE mobilized a Ca(2+) store included in the thapsigargin (TG)-sensitive stores, although the interaction between EKODE and TG appears complex, since EKODE added at the plateau response of TG induced a rapid drop in [Ca(2+)](i). 9-oxo-octadecadienoic acid, another oxidized derivative of linoleic acid, also increases [Ca(2+)](i), with a dose-response curve similar to EKODE. However, arachidonic and linoleic acids at 10 microM failed to increase [Ca(2+)](i) but did reduce the amplitude of the response to EKODE. It is concluded that EKODE mobilizes Ca(2+) from an InsP(3)-sensitive store and that this [Ca(2+)](i) increase is responsible for aldosterone secretion by glomerulosa cells. Similar bell-shaped dose-response curves for aldosterone and [Ca(2+)](i) increases reinforce this hypothesis.

PERK (eIF2alpha kinase) is required to activate the stress-activated MAPKs and induce the expression of immediate-early genes upon disruption of ER calcium homoeostasis

The eIF2alpha (eukaryotic initiation factor-2alpha) kinase PERK (doublestranded RNA-activated protein kinase-like ER kinase) is essential for the normal function of highly secretory cells in the pancreas and skeletal system, as well as the UPR (unfolded protein response) in mammalian cells. To delineate the regulatory machinery underlying PERK-dependent stress-responses, gene profiling was employed to assess global changes in gene expression in PERK-deficient MEFs (mouse embryonic fibroblasts). Several IE (immediate-early) genes, including c-myc, c-jun, egr-1 (early growth response factor-1), and fra-1 (fos-related antigen-1), displayed PERK-dependent expression in MEFs upon disruption of calcium homoeostasis by inhibiting the ER (endoplasmic reticulum) transmembrane SERCA (sarcoplasmic/ER Ca2+-ATPase) calcium pump. Induction of c-myc and egr-1 by other reagents that elicit the UPR, however, showed variable dependence upon PERK. Induction of c-myc expression by thapsigargin was shown to be linked to key signalling enzymes including PLC (phospholipase C), PI3K (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase) and p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase). Analysis of the phosphorylated status of major components in MAPK signalling pathways indicated that thapsigargin and DTT (dithiothreitol) but not tunicamycin could trigger the PERK-dependent activation of JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase) and p38 MAPK. However, activation of JNK and p38 MAPK by non-ER stress stimuli including UV irradiation, anisomycin, and TNF-alpha (tumour necrosis factor-alpha) was found to be independent of PERK. PERK plays a particularly important role in mediating the global cellular response to ER stress that is elicited by the depletion of calcium from the ER. We suggest that this specificity of PERK function in the UPR is an extension of the normal physiological function of PERK to act as a calcium sensor in the ER.

Regulation of aldosterone production from zona glomerulosa cells by ANG II and cAMP: evidence for PKA-independent activation of CaMK by cAMP

Aldosterone production in zona glomerulosa (ZG) cells of adrenal glands is regulated by various extracellular stimuli (K(+), ANG II, ACTH) that all converge on two major intracellular signaling pathways: an increase in cAMP production and calcium (Ca(2+)) mobilization. However, molecular events downstream of the increase in intracellular cAMP and Ca(2+) content are controversial and far from being completely resolved. Here, we found that Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases (CaMKs) play a predominant role in the regulation of aldosterone production stimulated by ANG II, ACTH, and cAMP. The specific CaMK inhibitor KN93 strongly reduced ANG II-, ACTH-, and cAMP-stimulated aldosterone production. In in vitro kinase assays and intact cells, we could show that cAMP-induced activation of CaMK, using the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin or the cAMP-analog Sp-5,6-DCI-cBIMPS (cBIMPS), was not mediated by PKA. Activation of the recently identified cAMP target protein Epac (exchange protein directly activated by cAMP) by 8-pCPT-2'-O-Me-cAMP had no effect on CaMK activity and aldosterone production. Furthermore, we provide evidence that cAMP effects in ZG cells do not involve Ca(2+) or MAPK signaling. Our results suggest that ZG cells, in addition to PKA and Epac/Rap proteins, contain other as yet unidentified cAMP mediator(s) involved in regulating CaMK activity and aldosterone secretion.

Xenobiotic-induced TNF-alpha expression and apoptosis through the p38 MAPK signaling pathway

Some xenobiotics, such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), bind to and activate estrogen receptors (ERs), eliciting estrogenic effects in both wildlife and humans. However, our laboratory and others have demonstrated that DDT and DDT-like compounds target non-ER pathways. In search for a molecular mechanism we recently established that DDT and its metabolites stimulate activator protein-1 (AP-1)-mediated gene expression through the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade. Here, we determined that DDT-induced p38 activity produces a novel environmental signaling pathway in endometrial Ishikawa and human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells. Xenobiotic exposure stimulates expression of the death ligand, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) as demonstrated using RT-PCR and reporter gene assays. Furthermore, DDT-induced p38 activity led to the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria and activation of caspase-3/7. Ultimately, DDT-treated cells underwent cell death. Taken together, these data demonstrate DDT induces both the expression of the death ligand TNF-alpha and apoptosis through a p38 MAPK-dependent mechanism.

Angiotensin II stimulates protein synthesis and inhibits proliferation in primary cultures of rat adrenal glomerulosa cells

Angiotensin II (Ang II) is one of the most important stimuli of rat adrenal glomerulosa cells. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether Ang II can stimulate cell proliferation and/or hypertrophy and investigate pathways and intracellular targets. A 3-d treatment with Ang II (5-100 nm), through the Ang II type 1 receptor subtype, abolished cell proliferation observed in control cells but increased protein synthesis. Preincubation with PD98059 (a MAPK kinase inhibitor) abolished basal proliferation and had no effect on basal protein synthesis but did reverse the effect of Ang II on protein synthesis. The p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 reversed the inhibitory effect on cell proliferation and abolished the increase in protein synthesis, whereas the c-Jun N-terminal kinase inhibitor SP600125 had no effect. Time-course studies revealed that Ang II stimulated phosphorylation of both p42/p44mapk and p38 MAPK but did not activate c-Jun N-terminal kinase. Ang II had no effect on the level of cyclin E expression but increased the expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase, p27Kip1, an effect abolished in cells preincubated with SB203580 and PD98059. In conclusion, in cultured rat glomerulosa cells, a 3-d treatment with Ang II increases protein synthesis, with a concomitant decrease in proliferation. These effects are mediated by both the p42/p44mapk and p38 MAPK pathways, which increase expression of the steroidogenic enzymes, steroidogenic acute regulatory protein and 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and p27Kip1, a protein known to block the cell cycle in G1 phase. Together these results support the key role of Ang II as a stimulus of steroid synthesis rather than a proliferating factor.

Volume-sensitive Cl- current in bovine adrenocortical cells: comparison with the ACTH-induced Cl- current

In a previous study performed on zona fasciculata (ZF) cells isolated from calf adrenal glands, we identified an ACTH-induced Cl- current involved in cell membrane depolarization. In the present work, we describe a volume-sensitive Cl- current and compare it with the ACTH-activated Cl- current. Experiments were performed using the whole-cell patch-clamp recording method, video microscopy and cortisol-secretion measurements. In current-clamp experiments, hypotonic solutions induced a membrane depolarization to -22 mV. This depolarization, correlated with an increase in the membrane conductance, was sensitive to different Cl- channel inhibitors. In voltage-clamp experiments, hypotonic solution induced a membrane current that slowly decayed and reversed at -21 mV. This ionic current displayed no time dependence and showed a slight outward rectification. It was blocked to variable extent by different conventional Cl- channel inhibitors. Under hypotonic conditions, membrane depolarizations were preceded by an increase in cell volume that was not detected under ACTH stimulation. It was concluded that hypotonic solution induced cell swelling, which activated a Cl- current involved in membrane depolarization. Although cell volume change was not observed in the presence of ACTH, biophysical properties and pharmacological profile of the volume-sensitive Cl- current present obvious similarities with the ACTH-activated Cl- current. As compared to ACTH, hypotonic solutions failed to trigger cortisol production that was weakly stimulated in the presence of high-K+ solution. This shows that in ZF cells, membrane depolarization is not a sufficient condition to fully activate secretory activities.

Control of aldosterone secretion: a model for convergence in cellular signaling pathways

Aldosterone secretion by glomerulosa cells is stimulated by angiotensin II (ANG II), extracellular K(+), corticotrophin, and several paracrine factors. Electrophysiological, fluorimetric, and molecular biological techniques have significantly clarified the molecular action of these stimuli. The steroidogenic effect of corticotrophin is mediated by adenylyl cyclase, whereas potassium activates voltage-operated Ca(2+) channels. ANG II, bound to AT(1) receptors, acts through the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP(3))-Ca(2+)/calmodulin system. All three types of IP(3) receptors are coexpressed, rendering a complex control of Ca(2+) release possible. Ca(2+) release is followed by both capacitative and voltage-activated Ca(2+) influx. ANG II inhibits the background K(+) channel TASK and Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase, and the ensuing depolarization activates T-type (Ca(v)3.2) Ca(2+) channels. Activation of protein kinase C by diacylglycerol (DAG) inhibits aldosterone production, whereas the arachidonate released from DAG in ANG II-stimulated cells is converted by lipoxygenase to 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid, which may also induce Ca(2+) signaling. Feedback effects and cross-talk of signal-transducing pathways sensitize glomerulosa cells to low-intensity stimuli, such as physiological elevations of [K(+)] (< or =1 mM), ANG II, and ACTH. Ca(2+) signaling is also modified by cell swelling, as well as receptor desensitization, resensitization, and downregulation. Long-term regulation of glomerulosa cells involves cell growth and proliferation and induction of steroidogenic enzymes. Ca(2+), receptor, and nonreceptor tyrosine kinases and mitogen-activated kinases participate in these processes. Ca(2+)- and cAMP-dependent phosphorylation induce the transfer of the steroid precursor cholesterol from the cytoplasm to the inner mitochondrial membrane. Ca(2+) signaling, transferred into the mitochondria, stimulates the reduction of pyridine nucleotides.

The control by angiotensin II of cholesterol supply for aldosterone biosynthesis

In the adrenal glomerulosa cell, aldosterone is synthesized from cholesterol, which is supplied to the cell and stored under the form of cholesterol esters, then hydrolyzed to be transferred to the mitochondrial outer membrane and finally transported to the inner membrane where the P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme will convert it to pregnenolone. Angiotensin II (AngII), one of the major physiological regulators of mineralocorticoid synthesis, appears to affect most of the steps along this cascade and thus to exert a powerful control over the use of cholesterol for aldosterone production.

Novel action of activin and bone morphogenetic protein in regulating aldosterone production by human adrenocortical cells

We have uncovered a functional bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) and activin system complete with ligands (BMP-6 and activin betaA/betaB), receptors (activin receptor-like kinase receptors 2, 3, and 4; activin type-II receptor; and BMP type-II receptor), and the binding protein follistatin in the human adrenocortical cell line H295R. Administration of activin and BMP-6 to cultures of H295R cells caused concentration-responsive increases in aldosterone production. The mRNA levels of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein or P450 steroid side-chain cleavage enzyme, the rate-limiting steps of adrenocortical steroidogenesis, were enhanced by activin and BMP-6. Activin and BMP-6 also activated the transcription of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein as well as the late-step steriodogenic enzyme CYP11B2. Activin enhanced ACTH-, forskolin-, or dibutyryl-cAMP- but not angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced aldosterone production, whereas BMP-6 specifically augmented Ang II-induced aldosterone production. Activin and ACTH but not BMP-6 increased cAMP production. Follistatin, which inhibits activin actions by binding, suppressed basal and ACTH-induced aldosterone secretion but failed to affect the Ang II-induced aldosterone level. Furthermore, MAPK signaling appeared to be involved in aldosterone production induced by Ang II and BMP-6 because an inhibitor of MAPK activation, U0126, reduced the level of aldosterone synthesis stimulated by Ang II and BMP-6 but not activin. In addition, Ang II reduced the expression levels of BMP-6 but increased that of activin betaB, whereas ACTH had no effect on these levels. Collectively, the present data suggest that activin acts to regulate adrenal aldosterone synthesis predominantly by modulating the ACTH-cAMP-protein kinase A signaling cascade, whereas BMP-6 works primarily by modulating the Ang II-MAPK cascade in human adrenal cortex in an autocrine/paracrine fashion.

Intracellular transport of calcium from plasma membrane to mitochondria in adrenal H295R cells: implication for steroidogenesis

Angiotensin II and extracellular potassium stimulate aldosterone production in adrenal glomerulosa cells by mobilizing the calcium messenger system. This response requires calcium influx across the plasma membrane, followed by calcium uptake into the mitochondria. It has been proposed that calcium is transported to the mitochondria via the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum, acting as a kind of intracellular calcium pipeline. This hypothesis has been tested in the present study by measuring intramitochondrial calcium variations in H295R cells with a new fluorescent calcium probe, ratiometric pericam. Calyculin A, a protein phosphatase inhibitor, induced the formation of a large cortical layer of actin filaments, removing the peripheral endoplasmic reticulum away from the plasma membrane and thereby physically uncoupling the calcium channels from the pipeline. The mitochondrial calcium response to potassium was markedly reduced after calyculin treatment, but that of AngII was unaffected. Under the same conditions, potassium-stimulated pregnenolone and aldosterone production was significantly reduced, whereas the steroidogenic response to AngII remained unchanged. The inhibitory action of calyculin A on the responses to potassium was not mediated by a modification of the calcium channel activity and was not accompanied by a reduction of the cytosolic calcium response. It therefore appears that, in H295R cells, the organization of the actin cytoskeleton at the cell periphery influences the steroidogenic action of potassium, but not the response to angiotensin II. The response to potassium is proposed to be dependent on the endoplasmic reticulum-mediated transfer of calcium entering through plasma membrane calcium channels to the mitochondria.

12-lipoxygenase pathway increases aldosterone production, 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element-binding protein phosphorylation, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase activation in H295R human adrenocortical cells

Evidence suggests that the 12-lipoxygenase (LO) pathway mediates angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced aldosterone synthesis in adrenal glomerulosa cells. To study the mechanisms of 12-LO pathway on aldosterone synthesis, the human adrenocortical cell line, H295R, was transiently transfected with a mouse leukocyte type of 12-LO. Overexpression of 12-LO stimulated aldosterone production 2.7-fold as well as the reporter gene activity of CYP11B2 gene-encoding human aldosterone synthase by 5-fold over that in mock-transfected cells. Ang II further enhanced aldosterone production, which could be blocked by a 12-LO inhibitor, baicalein, in mock cells and cells overexpressing 12-LO. Ang II stimulated cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation in a dose- and time-dependent fashion in parent H295R cells. Overexpression of 12-LO increased phosphorylation of CREB/activating transcription factor (ATF)-1 1.5-fold over that in mock cells under basal conditions. Ang II led to a further 5.2- and 7.5-fold increase in mock cells and 12-LO cells, respectively. Overexpression of 12-LO induced p38 MAPK activation. The 12-LO product, 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid, increased phosphorylation of CREB/ATF-1 3.6-fold and phosphorylation of p38 MAPK 8-fold over basal. The p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 inhibited Ang II- and 12-LO pathway-induced phosphorylated CREB/ATF-1, suggesting a role of p38 MAPK in Ang II and 12-LO pathway signaling. These results suggest that 12-LO stimulation leads to aldosterone production in H295R cells in part through activation of CREB/ATF-1 and p38 MAPK pathway.