Atrial natriuretic peptide inhibits calcium-induced steroidogenic acute regulatory protein gene transcription in adrenal glomerulosa cells

Regulation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system by cyclic nucleotides and phosphodiesterases

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) is one of the key players in the regulation of blood volume and blood pressure. Dysfunction of this system is connected with cardiovascular and renal diseases. Regulation of RAAS is under the control of multiple intracellular mechanisms. Cyclic nucleotides and phosphodiesterases are the major regulators of this system since they control expression and activity of renin and aldosterone. In this review, we summarize known mechanisms by which cyclic nucleotides and phosphodiesterases regulate renin gene expression, secretion of renin granules from juxtaglomerular cells and aldosterone production from zona glomerulosa cells of adrenal gland. We also discuss several open questions which deserve future attention.

Adropin Stimulates Proliferation and Inhibits Adrenocortical Steroidogenesis in the Human Adrenal Carcinoma (HAC15) Cell Line

Adropin is a multifunctional peptide hormone encoded by the ENHO (energy homeostasis associated) gene. It plays a role in mechanisms related to increased adiposity, insulin resistance, as well as glucose, and lipid metabolism. The low adropin levels are strongly associated with obesity independent insulin resistance. On the other hand, overexpression or exogenous administration of adropin improves glucose homeostasis. The multidirectional, adropin-related effects associated with the regulation of metabolism in humans also appear to be attributable to the effects of this peptide on the activity of various elements of the endocrine system including adrenal cortex. Therefore, the main purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of adropin on proliferation and secretory activity in the human HAC15 adrenal carcinoma cell line. In this study, we obtained several highly interesting findings. First, GPR19, the main candidate sensitizer of adrenocortical cells to adropin, was expressed in HAC15 cells. Moreover, GPR19 expression was relatively stable and not regulated by ACTH, forskolin, or adropin itself. Our findings also suggest that adropin has the capacity to decrease expression levels of steroidogenic genes such as steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and CYP11A1, which then led to a statistically significant inhibition in cortisol and aldosterone biosynthesis and secretion. Based on whole transcriptome study and research involving transforming growth factor (TGF)-β type I receptor kinase inhibitor we demonstrated that attenuation of steroidogenesis caused by adropin is mediated by the TGF-β signaling pathway likely to act through transactivation mechanism. We found that HAC15 cells treated with adropin presented significantly higher proliferation levels than untreated cells. Using specific intracellular inhibitors, we showed that adropin stimulate proliferation via ERK1/2 and AKT dependent signaling pathways. We have also demonstrated that expression of GPR19 is elevated in adrenocortical carcinoma in relation to normal adrenal glands. High level of GPR19 expression in adrenocortical carcinoma may constitute a negative prognostic factor of disease progression.

A brief history of the search for the protein(s) involved in the acute regulation of steroidogenesis

The synthesis of steroid hormones occurs in specific cells and tissues in the body in response to trophic hormones and other signals. In order to synthesize steroids de novo, cholesterol, the precursor of all steroid hormones, must be mobilized from cellular stores to the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) to be converted into the first steroid formed, pregnenolone. This delivery of cholesterol to the IMM is the rate-limiting step in this process, and has long been known to require the rapid synthesis of a new protein(s) in response to stimulation. Although several possibilities for this protein have arisen over the past few decades, most of the recent attention to fill this role has centered on the candidacies of the proteins the Translocator Protein (TSPO) and the Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein (StAR). In this review, the process of regulating steroidogenesis is briefly described, the characteristics of the candidate proteins and the data supporting their candidacies summarized, and some recent findings that propose a serious challenge for the role of TSPO in this process are discussed.

Primary Aldosteronism: Changing Definitions and New Concepts of Physiology and Pathophysiology Both Inside and Outside the Kidney

In the 60 years that have passed since the discovery of the mineralocorticoid hormone aldosterone, much has been learned about its synthesis (both adrenal and extra-adrenal), regulation (by renin-angiotensin II, potassium, adrenocorticotrophin, and other factors), and effects (on both epithelial and nonepithelial tissues). Once thought to be rare, primary aldosteronism (PA, in which aldosterone secretion by the adrenal is excessive and autonomous of its principal regulator, angiotensin II) is now known to be the most common specifically treatable and potentially curable form of hypertension, with most patients lacking the clinical feature of hypokalemia, the presence of which was previously considered to be necessary to warrant further efforts towards confirming a diagnosis of PA. This, and the appreciation that aldosterone excess leads to adverse cardiovascular, renal, central nervous, and psychological effects, that are at least partly independent of its effects on blood pressure, have had a profound influence on raising clinical and research interest in PA. Such research on patients with PA has, in turn, furthered knowledge regarding aldosterone synthesis, regulation, and effects. This review summarizes current progress in our understanding of the physiology of aldosterone, and towards defining the causes (including genetic bases), epidemiology, outcomes, and clinical approaches to diagnostic workup (including screening, diagnostic confirmation, and subtype differentiation) and treatment of PA.

Two-pore domain potassium channels in the adrenal cortex

The physiological control of steroid hormone secretion from the adrenal cortex depends on the function of potassium channels. The "two-pore domain K(+) channels" (K2P) TWIK-related acid sensitive K(+) channel 1 (TASK1), TASK3, and TWIK-related K(+) channel 1 (TREK1) are strongly expressed in adrenocortical cells. They confer a background K(+) conductance to these cells which is important for the K(+) sensitivity as well as for angiotensin II and adrenocorticotropic hormone-dependent stimulation of aldosterone and cortisol synthesis. Mice with single deletions of the Task1 or Task3 gene as well as Task1/Task3 double knockout mice display partially autonomous aldosterone synthesis. It appears that TASK1 and TASK3 serve different functions: TASK1 affects cell differentiation and prevents expression of aldosterone synthase in the zona fasciculata, while TASK3 controls aldosterone secretion in glomerulosa cells. TREK1 is involved in the regulation of cortisol secretion in fasciculata cells. These data suggest that a disturbed function of K2P channels could contribute to adrenocortical pathologies in humans.

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.

Protected Graft Copolymer (PGC) in Imaging and Therapy: A Platform for the Delivery of Covalently and Non-Covalently Bound Drugs

Initially developed in 1992 as an MR imaging agent, the family of protected graft copolymers (PGC) is based on a conjugate of polylysine backbone to which methoxypoly(ethylene glycol) (MPEG) chains are covalently linked in a random fasion via N-ε-amino groups. While PGC is relatively simple in terms of its chemcial composition and structure, it has proved to be a versatile platform for in vivo drug delivery. The advantages of poly amino acid backbone grafting include multiple available linking sites for drug and adaptor molecules. The grafting of PEG chains to PGC does not compromise biodegradability and does not result in measurable toxicity or immunogenicity. In fact, the biocompatablility of PGC has resulted in its being one of the few 100% synthetic non-proteinaceous macromolecules that has suceeded in passing the initial safety phase of clinical trials. PGC is capable of long circulation times after injection into the blood stream and as such found use early on as a carrier system for delivery of paramagnetic imaging compounds for angiography. Other PGC types were later developed for use in nuclear medicine and optical imaging applications in vivo. Recent developments in PGC-based drug carrier formulations include the use of zinc as a bridge between the PGC carrier and zinc-binding proteins and re-engineering of the PGC carrier as a covalent amphiphile that is capabe of binding to hydrophobic residues of small proteins and peptides. At present, PGC-based formulations have been developed and tested in various disease models for: 1) MR imaging local blood circulation in stroke, cancer and diabetes; 2) MR and nuclear imaging of blood volume and vascular permeability in inflammation; 3) optical imaging of proteolytic activity in cancer and inflammation; 4) delivery of platinum(II) compounds for treating cancer; 5) delivery of small proteins and peptides for treating diabetes, obesity and myocardial infarction. This review summarizes the experience accumulated by various research groups that chose to use PGC as a drug delivery platform.

Adaptation of a corticosterone ELISA to demonstrate sequence-specific effects of angiotensin II peptides and C-type natriuretic peptide on 1alpha-hydroxycorticosterone synthesis and steroidogenic mRNAs in the elasmobranch interrenal gland

It is thought that a single corticosteroid, 1alpha-hydroxycorticosterone (1alpha-B), is both a glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid in the elasmobranch fishes. We investigated the putative mineralocorticoid role of 1alpha-B by examining regulation of interrenal 1alpha-B synthesis by osmoregulatory hormones in the euryhaline stingray Dasyatis sabina. Using synthesized steroid, a commercial enzyme-linked immunoassay was validated for the quantification of 1alpha-B. In interrenal cultures, the antinatriuretic peptide angiotensin II (ANG II) was potently steroidogenic, whereas C-type natriuretic peptide had no effect on 1alpha-B titers. However, both peptides significantly decreased abundance of rate-limiting steroidogenic mRNAs (steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, StAR; cholesterol side-chain cleavage, P450scc). We also isolated cDNAs encoding ANG II from three species of elasmobranch, verifying heterogeneity among elasmobranch peptides at the first amino acid position. Potential implications of this heterogeneity were investigated by examining the effects of homologous and heterologous ANG II on interrenal steroid production and steroidogenic mRNAs. Changes at amino acid position three, but not position one, of ANG II significantly affected steroidogenic potency. Conversely, changes at position one, but not position three, significantly affected the potency of ANG II to alter levels of steroidogenic mRNAs. This study is the first to demonstrate regulation of elasmobranch steroidogenic mRNAs by osmoregulatory peptides.

Central role of guanylyl cyclase in natriuretic peptide signaling in hypertension and metabolic syndrome

Studied for nearly 30 years for its ability to control many parameters, such as vascular smooth muscle cell relaxation, heart fibrosis, and kidney function, the natriuretic peptide (NP) system is now considered to be a key element in several other major metabolic pathways. After stimulation by NPs, natriuretic peptide receptors (NPR) convert GTP to the second messenger cGMP. In addition to its vasodilatory effects and natriuretic and diuretic functions, cGMP has been positively associated with fat cell function, apoptosis, and NPR expression/activity modulation. The NP system is also closely linked to metabolic syndrome (MetS) progression and obesity control. A new era is now on its way targeting the NP system to not only treat high blood pressure, but to also assist in the fight against the obesity pandemic. Here, we summarize recent data on the role of NPs in hypertension and MetS.

Transcriptional regulation of steroidogenic genes: STARD1, CYP11A1 and HSD3B

Expression of the genes that mediate the first steps in steroidogenesis, the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STARD1), the cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme, cytochrome P450scc (CYP11A1) and 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/Delta5-Delta4 isomerase (HSD3B), is tightly controlled by a battery of transcription factors in the adrenal cortex, the gonads and the placenta. These genes generally respond to the same hormones that stimulate steroid production through common pathways such as cAMP signaling and common actions on their promoters by proteins such as NR5A and GATA family members. However, there are distinct temporal, tissue and species-specific differences in expression between the genes that are defined by combinatorial regulation and unique promoter elements. This review will provide an overview of the hormonal and transcriptional regulation of the STARD1, CYP11A1 and specific steroidogenic HSD3B genes in the adrenal, testis, ovary and placenta and discuss the current knowledge regarding the key transcriptional factors involved.

Phorbol ester increases mitochondrial cholesterol content in NCI H295R cells

The first step in steroidogenesis is cholesterol mobilization from cytosolic lipid droplets to the initiating rate-limiting enzyme complex located on the inner mitochondrial membrane. Angiotensin II (AngII), the primary agonist of aldosterone secretion from adrenal glomerulosa cells, is known to induce cholesterol mobilization to mitochondria. However, the role of the protein kinase C (PKC) pathway in mediating cholesterol mobilization is unknown. To determine PKC's involvement, human adrenocortical carcinoma cells were incubated with or without PKC-activating phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and mitochondrial cholesterol content assayed. Like AngII, PMA significantly elevated mitochondrial cholesterol content as well as aldosterone secretion. Thus, PKC may play a role in cholesterol mobilization to mitochondria and hence steroid production. Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) inhibited both AngII- and PMA-stimulated mitochondrial cholesterol content. These findings suggest that the ability of ANP to inhibit steroidogenesis induced by multiple agents may be related to its capacity to reduce cholesterol mobilization.

Hint2 is expressed in the mitochondria of H295R cells and is involved in steroidogenesis

Hint2 belongs to the superfamily of histidine triad hydrolase enzymes. Recently, it has been shown to influence the mitochondria-dependent apoptosis occurring in hepatocytes, but its mechanism of action is still obscure. Here, we demonstrate that Hint2 is expressed in the mitochondria of H295R cells and in normal adrenals, and that this protein is involved in steroidogenesis. The presence of Hint2 in H295R cells was revealed by RT-PCR and by immunoblot analysis of subcellular fractions. The protein appeared associated with mitochondrial membranes, probably facing the interior of the organelle. Hint2 overexpression in H295R cells had no effect on pregnenolone secretion elicited by angiotensin II or K+, whereas protein silencing with specific small interfering RNA resulted in a marked reduction of the steroidogenic response. The duration of the mitochondrial calcium signal induced by angiotensin II was also reduced upon Hint2 down-regulation with small interfering RNA, but not affected after its overexpression, suggesting that under basal conditions, Hint2 is optimally expressed, and not rate limiting in steroidogenesis. Moreover, Hint2 also appeared involved in Ca2+-independent pathways leading to steroid formation. Indeed, pregnenolone formation in response to either forskolin or a hydroxyl analog of cholesterol was markedly reduced after Hint2 silencing. Calcium-dependent and calcium-independent actions of Hint2 on steroidogenesis could be related to its ability to maintain a favorable mitochondrial potential. In conclusion, these data suggest that, in H295R cells, Hint2 is required for an optimal steroidogenic response, possibly because of a particular signalling function exerted within the mitochondria and that still remains to determine at the molecular level.

Natriuretic peptides, their receptors, and cyclic guanosine monophosphate-dependent signaling functions

Natriuretic peptides are a family of structurally related but genetically distinct hormones/paracrine factors that regulate blood volume, blood pressure, ventricular hypertrophy, pulmonary hypertension, fat metabolism, and long bone growth. The mammalian members are atrial natriuretic peptide, B-type natriuretic peptide, C-type natriuretic peptide, and possibly osteocrin/musclin. Three single membrane-spanning natriuretic peptide receptors (NPRs) have been identified. Two, NPR-A/GC-A/NPR1 and NPR-B/GC-B/NPR2, are transmembrane guanylyl cyclases, enzymes that catalyze the synthesis of cGMP. One, NPR-C/NPR3, lacks intrinsic enzymatic activity and controls the local concentrations of natriuretic peptides through constitutive receptor-mediated internalization and degradation. Single allele-inactivating mutations in the promoter of human NPR-A are associated with hypertension and heart failure, whereas homozygous inactivating mutations in human NPR-B cause a form of short-limbed dwarfism known as acromesomelic dysplasia type Maroteaux. The physiological effects of natriuretic peptides are elicited through three classes of cGMP binding proteins: cGMP-dependent protein kinases, cGMP-regulated phosphodiesterases, and cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channels. In this comprehensive review, the structure, function, regulation, and biological consequences of natriuretic peptides and their associated signaling proteins are described.

TREK-1 K+ channels couple angiotensin II receptors to membrane depolarization and aldosterone secretion in bovine adrenal glomerulosa cells

Bovine adrenal glomerulosa (AZG) cells were shown to express bTREK-1 background K(+) channels that set the resting membrane potential and couple angiotensin II (ANG II) receptor activation to membrane depolarization and aldosterone secretion. Northern blot and in situ hybridization studies demonstrated that bTREK-1 mRNA is uniformly distributed in the bovine adrenal cortex, including zona fasciculata and zona glomerulosa, but is absent from the medulla. TASK-3 mRNA, which codes for the predominant background K(+) channel in rat AZG cells, is undetectable in the bovine adrenal cortex. In whole cell voltage clamp recordings, bovine AZG cells express a rapidly inactivating voltage-gated K(+) current and a noninactivating background K(+) current with properties that collectively identify it as bTREK-1. The outwardly rectifying K(+) current was activated by intracellular acidification, ATP, and superfusion of bTREK-1 openers, including arachidonic acid (AA) and cinnamyl 1-3,4-dihydroxy-alpha-cyanocinnamate (CDC). Bovine chromaffin cells did not express this current. In voltage and current clamp recordings, ANG II (10 nM) selectively inhibited the noninactivating K(+) current by 82.1 +/- 6.1% and depolarized AZG cells by 31.6 +/- 2.3 mV. CDC and AA overwhelmed ANG II-mediated inhibition of bTREK-1 and restored the resting membrane potential to its control value even in the continued presence of ANG II. Vasopressin (50 nM), which also physiologically stimulates aldosterone secretion, inhibited the background K(+) current by 73.8 +/- 9.4%. In contrast to its potent inhibition of bTREK-1, ANG II failed to alter the T-type Ca(2+) current measured over a wide range of test potentials by using pipette solutions of identical nucleotide and Ca(2+)-buffering compositions. ANG II also failed to alter the voltage dependence of T channel activation under these same conditions. Overall, these results identify bTREK-1 K(+) channels as a pivotal control point where ANG II receptor activation is transduced to depolarization-dependent Ca(2+) entry and aldosterone secretion.

Cardiac Specific Increase in Aldosterone Production Induces Coronary Dysfunction in Aldosterone Synthase–Transgenic Mice

BACKGROUND

Elevated circulating aldosterone level is associated with impaired cardiovascular function. Although the mechanisms are not fully understood, aldosterone antagonists decrease total and cardiovascular mortality in heart failure and myocardial infarction. Aldosterone induces cardiac fibrosis in experimental models, and it is synthesized locally in rat heart. These observations suggest pathological effects of aldosterone in heart that remain unclear.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Transgenic mice (TG) that overexpress the terminal enzyme of aldosterone biosynthesis, aldosterone synthase (AS), in heart have been raised by gene targeting with the alpha-myosin heavy chain promoter. AS mRNA increased 100-fold and aldosterone concentration 1.7-fold in hearts of male TG mice relative to wild-type. No structural or myocardial alterations were evidenced, because ventricle/body weight, AT1 and AT2 receptor binding, and collagen content were unchanged in TG. No alteration in cardiac function was evidenced by echocardiography, isolated perfused heart, or whole-cell patch clamp experiments. In contrast, coronary function was impaired, because basal coronary flow was decreased in isolated perfused heart (-55% of baseline values), and vasodilatation to acetylcholine, bradykinin, and sodium nitroprusside was decreased by 75%, 60%, and 75%, respectively, in TG mice compared with wild-type, showing that the defect was not related to NO production.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased cardiac aldosterone production in male mice induces a major coronary endothelium-independent dysfunction with no detectable alterations in cardiac structure and function. However, coronary dysfunction may be harmful for coronary adaptation to increased flow demand.

Chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factor is a negative regulator of steroidogenesis in bovine adrenal glomerulosa cells

The octapeptide hormone, angiotensin II (AngII) and ACTH stimulate mineralocorticoid biosynthesis in the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex in part by promoting the transcription of the gene coding for the steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein. We have examined whether chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factor (COUP-TF), a member of the orphan nuclear receptor family of transcription factors, is involved in this transcriptional regulation. We analyzed COUP-TF and StAR mRNA and protein levels in bovine adrenal glomerulosa cells in primary culture. COUP-TF protein was readily detectable in nonstimulated cells, and AngII markedly reduced its expression in a time- and concentration-dependent manner (IC50 = 1 nm), to 46 +/- 4.4% of control levels after 6 h, (n = 3; P < 0.01). This repression was paralleled by a marked decrease in COUP-TF mRNA levels, reaching 18 +/- 8.8% of controls (n = 3, P < 0.01) after 6 h and by a 20-fold increase in aldosterone output. In bovine glomerulosa cells overexpressing COUP-TFI and -II, the induction of StAR mRNA and protein elicited by AngII was completely suppressed to control levels, and the aldosterone response was significantly reduced (from 4.8 +/- 1.1-fold the basal value in mock-infected cells to 1.9 +/- 0.5-fold and 2.2 +/- 0.7-fold in COUP-TFI- and COUP-TFII-expressing cells, respectively; n = 3; P < 0.01 for both differences). Finally, by using electrophoretic mobility shift assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation, we have shown a direct interaction between COUP-TF and the proximal StAR promoter. These results suggest that COUP-TF exerts a tonic inhibition on steroidogenesis by repressing StAR protein expression and that activators of aldosterone biosynthesis lift this inhibition in part by repressing COUP-TF levels.

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.

Janus Kinase 2 and Calcium Are Required for Angiotensin II-dependent Activation of Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein Transcription in H295R Human Adrenocortical Cells

Angiotensin II- and K+-stimulated aldosterone production in the adrenocortical glomerulosa cells requires induction of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR). While both agents activate Ca2+ signaling, the mechanisms leading to aldosterone synthesis are distinct, and the angiotensin II response cannot be mimicked by K+. We previously reported that StAR mRNA levels and promoter-reporter gene activity in transiently transfected H295R human adrenocortical cells were stimulated by angiotensin II but not by K+ treatment. The current study focused on identifying signaling pathways activated by angiotensin II that contribute to StAR transcriptional activation. We show that the angiotensin II-stimulated transcriptional activation of StAR was dependent upon influx of external calcium and requires protein kinase C activation. Furthermore we describe for the first time that the Janus tyrosine kinase family member, JAK2, was activated by angiotensin II treatment of H295R cells. Treatment of the cells with AG490, a selective inhibitor of JAK2, blocked JAK2 activation and StAR reporter gene activity and inhibited steroid production. Taken together these studies describe a novel pathway controlling StAR expression and steroidogenesis in adrenocortical cells.

Angiotensin II activates cholesterol ester hydrolase in bovine adrenal glomerulosa cells through phosphorylation mediated by p42/p44 mitogen-activated protein kinase

In adrenal glomerulosa cells, the stimulation of aldosterone biosynthesis by angiotensin II (Ang II) occurs via activation of the Ca2+ messenger system, increased expression of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, and enhanced transfer of cholesterol to the inner mitochondrial membrane. We examined here whether Ang II affects the activity of cholesterol ester hydrolase (CEH), also named hormone-sensitive lipase, the enzyme recruiting cholesterol from intracellular pools, in bovine adrenal glomerulosa cells. In bovine adrenal tissue, CEH activity was detected with characteristics similar to those reported in other tissues (Michaelis constant = 46.3 +/- 6.7 microM, n = 3; maximal velocity = 1 nmol/mg.min). This activity was significantly enhanced in isolated bovine glomerulosa cells challenged for 2 h with 10 nM Ang II (to 149 +/- 11% of controls, n = 3). Similarly, 25 microM forskolin raised CEH activity to 151 +/- 5% of controls (n = 3). This increase in activity of CEH was not due to an increase in the amount of enzyme protein but was associated with an increased phosphorylation of the enzyme to 337 +/- 33% of controls (n = 9, P < 0.0001). Potassium ion (K+) and forskolin also stimulated [32P]orthophosphate incorporation, although to a lesser extent (to 157 +/- 18% and 186 +/- 25% of controls, respectively). On SDS-PAGE, the majority of this radioactivity was associated with a species of 172 kDa, corresponding to a CEH dimer. Both Ang II-induced CEH phosphorylation and pregnenolone production were significantly reduced (to 47 +/- 6% and 50 +/- 8% of controls with Ang II alone, respectively) in the presence of PD098059, an inhibitor of p42/p44 MAPK. Indeed, Ang II challenge led to a rapid 32P incorporation into p42/p44 MAPK. These results demonstrate that, in addition to its known effects on intramitochondrial cholesterol transfer, Ang II also promotes aldosterone biosynthesis by rapidly increasing cholesterol supply to the outer mitochondrial membrane.

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.

Stimulatory effect of progesterone on the expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein in MA-10 Leydig cells

The steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), by virtue of its ability to facilitate the intramitochondrial transport of cholesterol, plays an important role in regulating steroid hormone biosynthesis in steroidogenic cells. In agreement with published data, both StAR expression and progesterone production in MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cells could be stimulated with hCG and 8Br-cAMP. Addition of aminoglutethimide, an inhibitor of cholesterol side chain cleavage (P450(scc)) enzyme, not only resulted in a drastic inhibition of progesterone production but also in an attenuation of StAR expression in response to either hCG or 8-Br-cAMP. Therefore, we addressed the question of whether progesterone, the end product of the steroidogenic cascade in these cells, could be in a position to regulate the StAR gene expression. In MA-10 cells, we report here that progesterone in microgram amounts can induce StAR gene expression in a time- and dose-dependent manner. StAR expression in response to a maximally effective concentration of progesterone of 10 microg/ml was highest at 6 h and started decreasing thereafter. The effect of progesterone on StAR protein and StAR mRNA induction was mimicked by its synthetic analog, progestin R5020, but not by other steroids, including dexamethasone, estradiol, testosterone, and dihydrotestosterone. Dexamethasone, in contrast, was able to inhibit StAR expression in MA-10 cells. Surprisingly, RU486, a potent antagonist of progesterone and glucocorticoid action, had a stimulatory effect on StAR mRNA levels. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrated the absence of the classical form of progesterone receptor in MA-10 cells. Thus, for the first time, a direct stimulatory effect of a steroid on StAR gene expression has been demonstrated. Furthermore, these results provide a new insight, indicating that progesterone mediates the activation of StAR expression exerted presumably through a novel, nonclassical progesterone receptor in mouse Leydig cells.

Repression of DAX-1 and induction of SF-1 expression. Two mechanisms contributing to the activation of aldosterone biosynthesis in adrenal glomerulosa cells

Angiotensin II (Ang II) and adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulate aldosterone biosynthesis in the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex through induction of the expression of the steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein, which promotes intramitochondrial cholesterol transfer. To understand the mechanism of this induction of the StAR protein, we have examined the effect of Ang II and forskolin, a mimicker of adrenocorticotropic hormone action, on two transcription factors known to modulate StAR gene expression in opposite ways, DAX-1 and SF-1, in bovine adrenal glomerulosa cells in primary culture. Ang II markedly inhibited DAX-1 protein expression in a time- and concentration-dependent manner (to 38.7 +/- 12.9% of controls at 3 nm after 6 h, p < 0.01), an effect that required de novo protein synthesis and ERK2/1 activation. This effect was associated with a concomitant decrease in DAX-1 mRNA and an increase in mitochondrial StAR protein levels. Similarly, forskolin dramatically repressed DAX-1 protein and mRNA expression (to 19.6 +/- 1.8 and 50.3 +/- 4.7% of controls, respectively, p < 0.01). Neither Ang II nor forskolin affected DAX-1 protein and mRNA stability. The aldosterone response to Ang II was markedly reduced (to 59 +/- 4% of controls, p < 0.01) in transiently transfected cells overexpressing DAX-1. Whereas Ang II was without effect on SF-1 expression, forskolin significantly increased SF-1 protein and mRNA levels in a cycloheximide-sensitive manner (to 167.4 +/- 16.6 and 173.1 +/- 25.1% of controls after 6 h, respectively, p < 0.01). These results demonstrate that the balance between repressor and inducer function of DAX-1 and SF-1 are of critical importance in the regulation of adrenal aldosterone biosynthesis.

Aldosterone increases T-type calcium currents in human adrenocarcinoma (H295R) cells by inducing channel expression

In adrenal glomerulosa cells, low-threshold voltage-activated (T-type) calcium channels are known to play a crucial role in coupling physiological variations of extracellular potassium to aldosterone biosynthesis. On the other hand, aldosterone itself has been recently shown to regulate Ca(2+) currents in its target cells. In the present study, we have investigated the effect of aldosterone on Ca(2+) channels of the steroidogenic human adrenocarcinoma cell line, using both electrophysiological and molecular techniques. Cell incubation with aldosterone (1 microM) for 24 h increased by 39% the density of T-type calcium currents, as assessed with the patch clamp technique. This effect of aldosterone was not related to a modification of T channel activation and inactivation properties. In contrast, L-type calcium currents remained unaffected by aldosterone treatment. The mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, spironolactone, blunted the aldosterone-induced increase in T-type calcium current. By RT-PCR, we detected in human adrenocarcinoma cells the presence of mRNA coding for the alpha(1) subunits of three different calcium channels: the alpha(1)H isoform of T channels and the alpha(1)C and alpha(1)D isoforms of the L channels. The presence of mRNA coding for the mineralocorticoid receptor was also found in these cells. Aldosterone treatment induced a 36% increase of mRNA coding for alpha(1)H, as assessed by real-time PCR. This aldosterone-evoked stimulation of mRNA expression was maximal at 24-48 h and reversed by spironolactone, suggesting a receptor-mediated genomic effect of aldosterone. Pregnenolone production in response to KCl stimulation was increased after aldosterone treatment, in parallel to T channel expression, confirming the essential role of these channels in the steroidogenic response to potassium. Taken together, these data indicate that, in human adrenocarcinoma cells, aldosterone increases, through an autocrine pathway, the expression of T-type calcium channels and therefore modifies the ability of these cells to respond to steroidogenic agonists.

Ectopic and abnormal hormone receptors in adrenal Cushing's syndrome

The mechanism by which cortisol is produced in adrenal Cushing's syndrome, when ACTH is suppressed, was previously unknown and was referred to as being "autonomous." More recently, several investigators have shown that some cortisol and other steroid-producing adrenal tumors or hyperplasias are under the control of ectopic (or aberrant, illicit, inappropriate) membrane hormone receptors. These include ectopic receptors for gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), beta-adrenergic agonists, or LH/hCG; a similar outcome can result from altered activity of eutopic receptors, such as those for vasopressin (V1-AVPR), serotonin (5-HT4), or possibly leptin. The presence of aberrant receptors places adrenal cells under stimulation by a trophic factor not negatively regulated by glucocorticoids, leading to increased steroidogenesis and possibly to the proliferative phenotype. The molecular mechanisms responsible for the abnormal expression and function of membrane hormone receptors are still largely unknown. Identification of the presence of these illicit receptors can eventually lead to new pharmacological therapies as alternatives to adrenalectomy, now demonstrated by the long-term control of ectopic P-AR- and LH/hCGR-dependent Cushing's syndrome by propanolol and leuprolide acetate. Further studies will potentially identify a larger diversity of hormone receptors capable of coupling to G proteins, adenylyl cyclase, and steroidogenesis in functional adrenal tumors and probably in other endocrine and nonendocrine tumors.

Lipoproteins regulate expression of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) in mouse adrenocortical cells

The steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) is required for the movement of cholesterol from the outer to the inner mitochondrial membrane, the site of cholesterol side chain cleavage. Here we describe a novel form of regulation of StAR gene expression in steroidogenic cells. Treatment of Y-1 BS1 adrenocortical cells with either low density lipoprotein (LDL) or high density lipoprotein (HDL) increases expression of endogenous StAR mRNA and protein in a dose-dependent manner. Induction of StAR mRNA by lipoprotein requires basal cAMP-dependent protein kinase, since the inhibitor, R(p)-8-Br-cAMP, inhibited induction of StAR protein by LDL. Likewise, basal StAR expression or LDL induction of StAR protein was not detectable in Y-1 kin-8 cells which are deficient in cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Aminoglutethimide and ketoconazole were used to determine if side chain cleavage of lipoprotein-derived cholesterol is required for induction of StAR mRNA. Treatment with either drug alone induced StAR mRNA expression 1.5-3-fold, while induction of StAR in cells treated with either drug plus LDL, was equal to, or greater than, induction seen with either agent alone, suggesting that lipoprotein does not regulate StAR via generation of an oxysterol intermediate. Both LDL and HDL increased expression of a mouse -966 StAR promoter-reporter construct 1.5-2.5-fold, indicating that regulation occurs at the level of transcription. In contrast, neither lipoprotein was able to induce transcription from a -966 StAR promoter in which the steroidogenic factor-1 site at -135 was abolished, indicating that regulation of StAR transcription by lipoproteins requires steroidogenic factor-1. The regulation of StAR gene expression by lipoproteins may represent a positive feedback circuit which links cholesterol availability with steroidogenic output.

CCAAT enhancer-binding protein beta and GATA-4 binding regions within the promoter of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) gene are required for transcription in rat ovarian cells

Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) is a vital accessory protein required for biosynthesis of steroid hormones from cholesterol. The present study shows that in primary granulosa cells from prepubertal rat ovary, StAR transcript and protein are acutely induced by gonadotropin (FSH). To determine the sequence elements required for hormone inducibility of the StAR promoter, truncated regions of the -1002/+6 sequence of the mouse gene were ligated to pCAT-Basic plasmid and transfected by electroporation to freshly prepared cells. FSH inducibility determined over a 6-h incubation was 10-40-fold above basal levels of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase activity. These functional studies, supported by electrophoretic mobility shift assays indicated that two sites were sufficient for transcription of the StAR promoter constructs: a non-consensus binding sequence (-81/-72) for CCAAT enhancer-binding protein beta (C/EBPbeta) and a consensus motif for GATA-4 binding (-61/-66). Western analyses showed that GATA-4 is constitutively expressed in the granulosa cells, while all isoforms of C/EBPbeta were markedly inducible by FSH. Site-directed mutations of both binding sequences practically ablated both basal and hormone-driven chloramphenicol acetyltransferase activities to less than 5% of the parental -96/+6 construct. Unlike earlier notions, elimination of potential binding sites for steroidogenic factor-1, a well known tissue-specific transcription factor, did not impair StAR transcription. Consequently, we propose that C/EBPbeta and GATA-4 represent a novel combination of transcription factors capable of conferring an acute response to hormones upon their concomitant binding to the StAR promoter.