Effect of angiotensin II and arginine vasopressin on aldosterone production and phosphoinositide turnover in rat adrenal glomerulosa cells: a comparative study

The adrenal cortex after estradiol or daidzein application in a rat model of the andropause: Structural and hormonal study

INTRODUCTION AND AIM

Daidzein application may represent an effective and less harmful alternative to indicated, classical estrogenization of ageing men. The aim of this study was to perform structural and hormonal analysis of the adrenal cortex, after estradiol or daidzein supplementation in a rat model of the andropause.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Middle-aged Wistar rats were divided into sham operated (SO; n = 8), orchidectomized (Orx; n = 8), estradiol treated orchidectomized (Orx + E; n = 8) and daidzein treated orchidectomized (Orx + D; n = 8) groups. Estradiol (0.625 mg/kg b.m./day) or daidzein (30 mg/kg b.m./day) were administered subcutaneously for three weeks, while the SO and Orx groups received the vehicle alone. Set objectives were achieved using stereology, histochemistry/immunohistochemistry, immunoassays and ultrastructural analysis.

RESULTS

Both estradiol and daidzein treatment significantly increased volumes of the zona glomerulosa cell and nuclei, but decreased circulating aldosterone levels. Estradiol markedly increased volumes of the zona fasciculata cell and nuclei in parallel with significant decrease of the adrenal tissue level of corticosterone, while daidzein significantly decreased both the adrenal and circulating levels of corticosterone. Serum DHEA level and volumes of the zona reticularis cell and nuclei significantly increased upon estradiol treatment, whereas daidzein even stronger increased the circulating level of DHEA. Shunting of the corticosteroidogenesis pathways towards adrenal androgens production, after the treatments, corresponded to the ultrastructural findings and zonal capillary network rearrangements.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the coherence of its effects and relative safety, daidzein could be the remedy of choice for the treatment of ageing-caused androgen deprivation and the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis hyperfunction/related metabolic issues in males.

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.

Cytoplasmic Ca2+ signalling and reduction of mitochondrial pyridine nucleotides in adrenal glomerulosa cells in response to K+, angiotensin II and vasopressin

We have examined the mitochondrial formation of NAD(P)H in rat adrenal glomerulosa cells. A short-term elevation of the K+ concentration from 3.6 to 8.4 mM induced a reversible increase in the formation of reduced pyridine nucleotides. Potassium applied after the addition of rotenone had no further effect, confirming that the redox signal was of mitochondrial origin. Inhibition of aldosterone synthesis by aminoglutethimide in K+-stimulated cells decreased the rate of decay of the NAD(P)H signal upon the termination of stimulation, indicating that the NADPH formed was consumed in aldosterone synthesis. When the NAD(P)H signal was measured simultaneously with the cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), elevation of the K+ concentration to 6.6 or 8.4 mM induced parallel increases in [Ca2+]i and NAD(P)H formation. The rates of increase and decrease of NAD(P)H were lower than for [Ca2+]i, confirming that the redox signal was secondary to the Ca2+ signal. Angiotensin II (100 pM-1 nM) induced an oscillatory NAD(P)H signal which usually returned to a lower baseline concentration, while a sustained signal with superimposed oscillations was observed at higher concentrations. Simultaneous measurements showed that NAD(P)H levels followed the [Ca2+]i pattern evoked by angiotensin II. Vasopressin (100 nM) also induced parallel oscillations of [Ca2+]i and NAD(P)H. A sustained rise in the extramitochondrial Ca2+ concentration to 1 microM induced a sustained elevation of the intramitochondrial Ca2+ concentration in permeabilized cells, as measured with rhod-2. A sustained rise in [Ca2+]i evoked by long-term stimulation with 8.4 mM K+ or 2.5 nM angiotensin II resulted in sustained NAD(P)H production. These Ca2+-dependent changes in the mitochondrial redox state support the biological response, i.e. aldosterone secretion by glomerulosa cells.

Arginine-vasopressin stimulates CRH and ACTH release by rat adrenal medulla, acting via the V1 receptor subtype and a protein kinase C-dependent pathway

Arginine-vasopressin (AVP) is a hypothalamic hormone that, like CRH, stimulates the pituitary release of ACTH, thereby activating adrenal glucocorticoid secretion. Evidence indicates that rat adrenal medulla contains a CRH-ACTH system duplicating that existing at the hypothalamo-pituitary level and involved in the paracrine stimulation of the cortex secretion. Therefore, we investigated by RIA the effect of AVP on the release of CRH and ACTH immunoreactivities (IR) by rat adrenal medulla in vitro. AVP concentration-dependently enhanced the release of both CRH-IR and ACTH-IR, and the effect was blocked by a selective antagonist of the V1 subtype of AVP receptors. The CRH receptor antagonist alpha-helical-CRH partially reversed AVP-evoked rise in ACTH-IR release, without altering either CRH response or basal secretions of CRH and ACTH. The specific inhibitors of protein kinase C Ro31-8220 and calphostin C abolished both CRH and ACTH responses to AVP. In conclusion, our present findings suggest that AVP stimulates intramedullary the CRH-ACTH system, acting via V1 receptors and activating protein kinase C.

Molecular pharmacology of V1a vasopressin receptors

1. Vasopressin, a mammalian neurohypophysial peptide hormone, has diverse physiological actions. 2. Pharmacological studies, using a range of mammalian tissues, have identified three subtypes of vasopressin receptor. 3. The V1a subtype of vasopressin receptor is widely distributed and mediates many central and peripheral actions of vasopressin. 4. The development of subtype-selective vasopressin analogues has provided valuable tools for pharmacological and physical studies of the V1a receptor protein. 5. Pharmacological differences indicate species heterogeneity in the characteristics of V1a receptors and in the expression of hepatic V1a receptors. 6. The cloning of neurohypophysial hormone receptor proteins allows structural and functional comparison of the V1a vasopressin receptors with other G-protein-coupled receptors.

A model for studying regulation of aldosterone secretion: freshly isolated cells or cultured cells?

Practically all studies relating to zona glomerulosa function have been performed either with freshly isolated cells or with cells used after 2 or 3 days in culture. This study compares the step-by-step response (binding, second messenger production and aldosterone response) of isolated glomerulosa cells vs cells maintained in primary culture to the main stimuli of aldosterone secretion. One day in culture induces a decrease of 77 and 65% in the basal level of corticosterone and aldosterone secretions, compared to that observed in freshly isolated cells. In these conditions, the cells become more sensitive to most of their stimuli, but not all: e.g. important differences are noted in the dose-response of aldosterone secretion to adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), which is often shifted to a lower concentration sensitivity in cultured cells. For example, 0.1 nM ACTH stimulates steroid secretion by three-fold in isolated cells while 1 pM ACTH already induces a 25 and nine-fold increase, respectively, in corticosterone and aldosterone output in cultured cells. Moreover, some stimuli such as isoproterenol do not have any effect in isolated cells but do stimulate steroid secretion in cultured cells. In contrast, other stimuli, such as serotonin or DA (via DA2 receptors) act preferentially in freshly isolated cells. The main observation derived from this study is that glomerulosa cells, under appropriate conditions, are able to respond to their main secretagogues even after 4 days in culture. At this time, glomerulosa cells maintain their ultrastructural characteristics and functional properties and, aside from a few exceptions, demonstrate higher sensitivity to their known stimuli.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Evidence that endogenous arginine-vasopressin (AVP) is involved in the maintenance of the growth and steroidogenic capacity of rat adrenal zona glomerulosa

A 7-day subcutaneous infusion with the AVP antagonist [Deamino-Pen1, Val4, D-Arg8]-vasopressin (AVP-A; 3 nmol.kg-1 x min-1) significantly lowered plasma aldosterone concentration in rats, without affecting the plasma levels of ACTH and corticosterone. Prolonged AVP-A treatment caused a marked atrophy of adrenal zona glomerulosa (ZG) and its parenchymal cells, without inducing any significant change in zona fasciculata morphology. Isolated ZG cells from AVP-A-infused rats evidenced a notable decrease in both their basal and maximally-stimulated aldosterone production. The simultaneous infusion of rats with AVP (3 nmol.kg-1 x min-1) completely reversed all these effects of AVP-A. These findings suggest that endogenous AVP may be specifically involved in the maintenance of the growth and steroidogenic capacity of rat adrenal ZG. Moreover, they seem to indicate that under basal conditions the pituitary-adrenal-glucocorticoid axis is independent of AVP release.

Studies of hormone-sensitive and -insensitive pools of phosphoinositides in cultured bovine zona fasciculata/reticularis cells. Evidence that acetylcholine and angiotensin II stimulate the breakdown of a common pool of phosphoinositides

The effects of acetylcholine (ACh) and manganese pre-incubation on angiotensin II (AII)-stimulated incorporation of [3H]inositol into phosphoinositide, phosphoinositol and free inositol fractions of adrenocortical cells isolated from the bovine zona fasciculata/reticularis (zfr) were investigated. In cells pre-labelled for 6 hr with [3H]inositol, ACh and AII stimulated the incorporation of cytosolic [3H]inositol into a common hormone-sensitive pool of phosphoinositides, which was distinct from the non-hormone-sensitive pool labelled in the presence of manganese. Regression analysis of the cortisol versus [3H]inositol headgroup responses for both AII (10(-11)-10(-7) M) and ACh (10(-9)-10(-3) M) showed that the gradients of these responses were not significantly different. These data provide strong evidence that in cultured bovine zfr cells, ACh and AII stimulate the breakdown and resynthesis of a common pool of phosphoinositides.