Fluorogenic Steroids Research Articles

Expression of the human apolipoprotein E gene suppresses steroidogenesis in mouse Y1 adrenal cells.

The lipid transport protein, apolipoprotein E (apoE), is expressed in many peripheral tissues in vivo including the adrenal gland and testes. To investigate the role of apoE in adrenal cholesterol homeostasis, we have expressed a human apoE genomic clone in the Y1 mouse adrenocortical cell line. Y1 cells do not express endogenous apoE mRNA or protein. Expression of apoE in Y1 cells resulted in a dramatic decrease in basal steroidogenesis; secretion of fluorogenic steroid was reduced 7- to greater than 100-fold relative to Y1 parent cells. Addition of 5-cholesten-3 beta,25-diol failed to overcome the suppression of steroidogenesis in these cells. Cholesterol esterification under basal conditions, as measured by the production of cholesteryl [14C]oleate, was similar in the Y1 parent and the apoE-transfected cell lines. Upon incubation with adrenocorticotropin or dibutyryl cAMP, production of cholesteryl [14C]oleate decreased 5-fold in the Y1 parent cells but was unchanged in the apoE-transfected cell lines. These results suggest that apoE may be an important modulator of cholesterol utilization and steroidogenesis in adrenal cells.

Further characterization of the inhibitory effect of monensin on adrenal steroidogenesis

We have previously reported that treatment of cultured mouse adrenal tumor cells with 0.6-1.2 μ M monensin, a monovalent carboxylic ionophore, results in disruption of the organized structure of the Golgi complex. This is associated with an inhibition of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) or dibutyryl cAMP-stimulated steroidogenesis and impairment of mitochondrial cholesterol side-chain cleavage activity. The present report describes further investigations regarding possible mechanisms for the inhibition. Monensin inhibits both synthesis of fluorogenic steroids and incorporation of [ 14C]acetate into the end-product steroid 11β,20α-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one. Supplementation of monensin-treated cells with 25-hydroxycholesterol, a readily available substrate for steroidogenesis, does not reverse the inhibitory effect on the reaction. The incorporation of l-[ 35S]methionine into trichloroacetic acid precipitable proteins in the isolated mitochondria of monensin-treated cells is inhibited approximately by 40%, whereas the inhibitory effect on the proteins in the cell homogenate is marginal. These findings suggest that a deficiency of newly synthesized proteins in mitochondria, rather than the availability of the substrate cholesterol, may be the primary factor causing impairment of steroidogenesis.

Modulation of Hormone Secretion in vitro by Murine Retrovirus

In an attempt to elucidate the role of viruses in certain neuroendocrine disorders, we have demonstrated that infection of endocrine cells (GH-3 and Y-1) in vitro by moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV) resulted in diminution of cell-specific secretory function, hormone secretion into culture. In GH-3 (rat anterior pituitary gland) active (initial) and persistent infection by M-MuLV resulted in approximately 80% reduction in prolactin and growth hormone secretion. The adrenal cortex tumor cell line (Y-1), when actively infected with the same virus, showed a transient increase in fluorogenic steroid secretion; however, on subsequent passages of infected cell cultures, steroid secretion was markedly reduced to about 10% of the uninfected Y-1 cells. The virus yield from M-MuLV-infected cultures of Y-1 and GH-3 cells produced a significantly lower amount of virus than the control NIH-3T3-infected cell cultures.

Intracellular Kinetics of Free Catalytic Units Dissociated from Adenosine 3′,5′-Monophosphate-Dependent Protein Kinase in Adrenocortical Tumor Cells (Y-1)*

To define the role of cAMP in the actions of ACTH, the dissociation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase and the subsequent intracellular location of its free catalytic units were monitored after exposure of Y-1 cells to ACTH, FSH, or cyclic nucleotide analog. To accomplish this, a fluorescinated cytochemical probe was used that complexes specifically with free catalytic units from cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Also, the effects of hormone or nucleotide on secretion of fluorogenic steroids and DNA synthesis were examined. Y-1 cells dissociated protein kinase in a dose-dependent fashion when exposed to ACTH or cAMP analog, but did not respond to FSH, which was one of the control agents used. After 30 min of treatment with 1.5 X 10(-10) M ACTH, free catalytic units were observed only in the cytoplasm of Y-1 cells, whereas a similar time of exposure to 3 X 10(-10) M ACTH led to the appearance of catalytic units in nucleolus as well as in cytoplasm. ACTH (6 X 10(-10) M) caused a rise in cytoplasmic and nucleolar protein kinase dissociation proportionally greater than that seen in cultures exposed to 3 X 10(-10) M ACTH. Upon treatment with 6 X 10(-10) M ACTH, the amount of free catalytic units in cytoplasm and nucleolus was detectably greater than that in controls within 1 min of stimulation and continued to rise with increasing time of exposure to hormone. The nuclear, mostly nucleolar, content of free catalytic unit appeared to peak after 15 min of stimulation, while cytoplasmic enzyme levels continued to rise up to 60 min. Exposure of Y-1 cells to nucleotide analog caused cAMP-dependent protein kinase dissociation with temporal kinetics and a subcellular distribution similar to that seen after ACTH stimulation. We conclude that actions of ACTH are mediated by cAMP-dependent protein kinases. Further, there appear to be two intracellular pools of protein kinase, one nucleolar, the other cytoplasmic, and these may be independently regulated, with the nucleolar enzyme requiring higher concentrations of ACTH for dissociation than those needed for cytoplasm protein kinase. These observations may be relevant to the fact that more ACTH is required to inhibit DNA synthesis than is necessary to enhance steroid production.

Hormone-induced intercellular signal transfer dissociates cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.

We used co-cultures of porcine ovarian granulosa cells and mouse adrenocortical tumor cells (Y-1) to examine the kinetics of contact-dependent intercellular signal transfer and to assess the molecular mechanisms employed by this process. Exposure to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) caused cAMP-dependent protein kinase dissociation in granulosa cells and, with time, in Y-1 cells if, and only if, they contacted a responding granulosa cell. Y-1 cells close to a granulosa cell but not touching it failed to respond similarly. In reciprocal experiments, co-cultures were stimulated with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Y-1 cells dissociated protein kinase as did granulosa cells in contact with Y-1 cells; however, granulosa cells that were not in contact with Y-1 cells failed to respond to the hormone. Fluorogenic steroids were secreted by Y-1 cells cultured alone and stimulated with ACTH, but were not secreted by cultures exposed to FSH. Neither hormone caused fluorogenic steroid production by granulosa cells. On the other hand these steroids were secreted in co-cultures stimulated with ACTH and to a lesser degree in co-cultures exposed to FSH. Autoradiography revealed that I125-FSH bound only to granulosa cells, never to Y-1 cells, even if they were in contact with an ovarian cell. The possibility of cell fusion was tested by experiments in which Y-1 cell membranes were labeled with cationized ferritin. These cells were then placed in co-culture with ovarian granulosa cells that had previously been allowed to ingest latex spheres. At regions of gap junctions between Y-1 and granulosa cells ferritin remained attached to the adrenal cell membrane and was never observed to migrate to the granulosa cell membrane. From these data, we conclude that hormone specific stimulation of one cell type leads to protein kinase dissociation in heterotypic partners only if they contact a hormone responsive cell. This signal transfer is bidirectional, exhibits temporal kinetics and occurs in the absence of apparent cell fusion. The only structural feature connecting Y-1 and granulosa cells were gap junctions implying they provided the communication channels; however, alternative mechanisms cannot be excluded. We have not established the identity of the signal being transferred although cAMP is a logical candidate.

Suppression of ACTH-induced steroidogenesis by supernatants from LPS-treated peritoneal exudate macrophages.

The results from a number of clinical and experimental studies have suggested that during endotoxemia, suppression of adrenocortical steroidogenesis may occur. We have examined the possibility that macrophages are the source of a factor that suppresses adrenocortical steroidogenesis. Resident and peptone-elicited peritoneal exudate macrophages (PEM) from C3HeB/FeJ mice were incubated for 4 hr at 37 degrees C in the presence or absence of T cell hybridoma-derived lymphokine (LK) that contained high concentrations of MAF activity (assessed by induction of nonspecific tumoricidal activity in PEM). The LK was removed by rinsing, and fresh medium was added, followed by Salmonella minnesota R595 LPS (final concentration 10 micrograms/ml). After 18 hr at 37 degrees C the PEM supernatants and control medium from flasks without cells were harvested and stored at -20 degrees C. Explanted rabbit adrenocortical cells in 96-well plates were exposed to 30 microliters of PEM supernatant or control medium and ACTH (10 or 100 mU/ml) in a final volume of 120 microliters for 3 consecutive days. The adrenocortical cell supernatants were harvested each day, followed by replenishment of medium, PEM supernatant, and ACTH. Fluorogenic steroid production in wells that received control medium or supernatants from PEM not treated with LPS was normal (0.22 microgram +/- 0.010 (SD) per 5 X 10(4) cells). However, as much as 75 to 95% suppression of steroidogenesis was observed in wells that received supernatants from PEM treated with LK and LPS, compared to 40% suppression in wells that received supernatant from PEM treated with LPS alone. Continued exposure (over 3 days) of adrenocortical cells to supernatants from LPS-treated PEM resulted in progressively decreasing response to ACTH. Comparable suppressive activity was observed in supernatants from LPS-treated bone marrow-derived macrophages. In further experiments, suppression was observed in wells that were pretreated (22 hr) with the appropriate PEM supernatant, and evidence was obtained that the suppressive activity was not due to carry-over LPS. Finally, results from control experiments demonstrated that suppressive PEM supernatants neither inactivate ACTH nor interfere with the assay of fluorogenic steroids. Thus, these results suggest that during endotoxemia, products from LPS-stimulated macrophages may suppress adrenocortical function.

Phenotypic modulation of adrenal cortical cells of the rat in primary culture.

Rat adrenal cells in secondary culture have been reported to exhibit a more or less differentiated phenotype as indicated by their morphology (epithelial or fibroblastic) and their level of steroid production. Analysis of growth characteristics, delta 5-3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity, and fluorogenic steroid output of adrenal cortical cells of the rat in primary culture indicates that morphology and steroid production can be quantitatively and qualitatively altered with little change in the activity of the basic steroidogenic enzyme delta 5-3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. These results confirm the origin from steroidogenic tissue of the adrenal cells in culture, and indicate that the changes they show in vitro are best interpreted as phenotypic modulation rather than dedifferentiation.

Kinetics of cAMP inhibition of DNA synthesis in bovine adrenocortical cells

cAMP-treated bovine adrenocortical cells are arrested in the G 1 phase of the cell cycle. Removal of serum also arrests bovine adrenocortical cells in G 1. In the presence of cAMP, serum and fibroblast growth factor stimulate increases in medium cell volume, but DNA synthesis is not initiated. Under these conditions cAMP increases steroidogenic capacity 7- to 10-fold as assessed by metabolism of pregnenolone to fluorogenic steroids. When the kinetics of entry of cells into S phase are quantitated, serum- and FGF-treated cells initiate DNA synthesis at an exponential rate after a 12-h lag. In contrast when cAMP is removed, cells immediately initiate DNA synthesis without a lag at a similar exponential rate .(6.3 and 5.3% of the cells entering S/h). In the presence of growth factors, cAMP-treated bovine adrenocortical cells are thus hypertrophied with increased steroidogenic capacity, but are reversibly arrested at the G 1/S boundary. These findings suggest that cAMP arrests cell replication by mechanisms distinct from those of serum deprivation.

Hormonal Control of Adrenocortical Cell Proliferation

A primary bovine adrenocortical cell culture system responsive to physiological concentrations of ACTH has been established. When added to cultures, ACTH inhibited DNA synthesis and cell division over the same concentration range required for stimulation of fluorogenic steroid production (0.01-10 nM). With chronic exposure to ACTH, cells became desensitized to the growth inhibitory effects of ACTH. Though cell growth was initially completely inhibited by ACTH, cells ultimately began to grow in its continued presence. The lag time to initiation of cell growth, the rate of growth, and the final density achieved depended on the ACTH concentration. Desensitization to ACTH(1-39) was not induced by monobutyryl cyclic AMP nor by ACTH(11-24). Specificity of desensitization was apparent because cells which had become desensitized to ACTH(1-39) remained fully responsive to monobutyryl cyclic AMP, prostaglandin E(1), and cholera toxin. Though the effects of ACTH on cell growth were readily reversible upon hormone removal, the desensitized response to readdition of ACTH persisted for at least 8 h. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) stimulated both the growth rate and saturation density achieved. FGF did not alter the growth inhibitory effects of ACTH nor the reduced growth rate observed in desensitized cells maintained in ACTH. However, FGF greatly increased the saturation density achieved by cultures maintained with ACTH. Through the process of desensitization, adrenocortical cells are able to grow in the presence of high concentrations of ACTH and to respond to the effects of a growth factor by increasing the cell density achieved. This pattern of response may be a general one for growth control under the combined effects of antimitotic and mitotic factors.

STEROIDOGENIC PATHWAYS AND TROPHIC RESPONSE TO ADRENOCORTICOTROPHIN OF CULTURED ADRENOCORTICAL CELLS IN DIFFERENT STATES OF DIFFERENTIATION

Adrenocortical cells obtained from adult rats were propagated in monolayer culture. Depending on culture conditions, they grew either as lipid-containing epithelial-like cells with a high level of steroid production, or as fibroblast-like cells with a low level of steroid production. The major fluorogenic steroid secreted by both morphologic forms of adrenal cortical cell was corticosterone as determined by chromatography and acid fluorometry. Basal fluorogenic steroid production per 10(6) cells over 24 h was: epithelial-like cells, 5.0-mug; fibroblast-like cells, 0-014 mug. Stimulation with ACTH for 5 days increased fluorogenic steroid production and induced morphologic changes in both adrenal cell forms. ACTH stimulation of fluorogenic steroid production by both cell forms reached a maximum after 3 days, then dropped to a refractory state after 5 days. With maximal ACTH stimulation, production increased 25-fold in fibroblast-like cells and five-fold in epithelial-like cells. The latter rate of corticosterone production is similar, per cell, to ACTH-stimulated adrenal glands in vivo. Progressive morphologic changes were observed with ACTH stimulation: epithelial-like cells retracted from the substratum and lost lipid inclusions; fibroblast-like cells became more epithelial-like. Both adrenal cell types formed intermediates from [4-(14)C] pregnenolone including pregn-5-ene-3 phi, 20 alpha-diol and 20 alpha-hydroxy-pregn-4-en-3-one. Control cultures of muscle fascia fibroblasts did not produce corticosterone or intermediates from [4-(14)C[ pregnenolone and did not respond to ACTH functionally or morphologically.

Transmembrane Potentials and Steroidogenesis in Normal and Neoplastic Human Adrenocortical Tissue

Trans-membrane potentials and steroidogenesis were measured in superfused slices of non-tumor and neoplastic human adrenocortical tissue. Non-tumor tissue was obtained at the time for renal transplant or from tissue removed along with tumors. Non-tumor human adrenocortical tissue had electrophysiological and steroidogenic properties similar to those of the rat and rabbit. In normal medium ACTH stimulated steroidogenesis but had no effect on the membrane potential. In K+-free medium, the cells hyperpolarized, and subsequent addition of ACTH caused depolarization. Trans-membrane potentials of adrenocortical tumors were lower than those of non-tumor cells. Ommission of K+ from the medium caused hyperpolairzation of the tumor cells, but the trans-membrane potentials did not reach the values of hyperpolarized non-tumor cells. ACTH, added to the K+-free medium, caused little or no change in membrane potential of tumor cells except in one case of a virilizing adenoma, which responded very much like non-tumor tissue. Except for the virilizing adenoma, tumor tissue slices produced little or no detectable fluorogenic steroid, even in the presence of large amounts of ACTH or cyclic AMP. The virilizing adenoma responded with increased steroidogensis to ACTH and cyclic AMP.

Fate of corticotrophins in an isolated adrenal-cell bioassay and decrease of peptide breakdown by cell purification.

1. The fate of corticotrophins in a trypsin-dispersed rat adrenal-cell assay system was investigated with a view to establishing whether differences in the rate of inactivation might contribute to potency differences observed between analogues. 2. Corticotrophin-(1-24)-tetracosapeptide and to a lesser extent synthetic 1-39 corticotrophins were found to be inactivated during incubation with cell suspension. 3. Peptide fragments were isolated by using [[(3)H(2)]Tyr(23)]corticotrophin-(1-24)- tetracosapeptide as a marker. The fragments indicate a peptidase with a predominantly tryptic specificity. 4. The peptidase is present in the extracellular fluid and is released from cells when they are damaged. 5. Cells were fractionated on an albumin gradient. Cells from the zona fasciculata and the zona intermedia or reticularis were present in fractions which produced fluorogenic steroids in response to corticotrophin. 6. Purification of the cells by centrifugation through albumin decreased degradation by peptidases, so that if the assay is carried out with a dilute suspension of purified cells peptide breakdown should not affect the observed potencies of adrenocorticotrophin analogues. 7. No binding of [[(3)H(2)]Tyr(23)]corticotrophin-(1-24)- tetracosapeptide to cells could be detected at low concentrations of the peptide. This indicated that less than 120 receptors/cell are occupied during stimulation by a dose that would elicit approx. 80% of the maximal response.

THE STEROIDOGENIC RESPONSE OF ADULT RAT ADRENOCORTICAL CELLS IN MONOLAYER CULTURE

SUMMARY Quantitative aspects of corticosteroidogenesis were examined in monolayer cultures of cells from the zona fasciculata and zona reticularis of the adult rat adrenal cortex, maintained for up to 4 months. Corticosterone secretion continued at a steady rate in cultures maintained with corticotrophin (ACTH), the output of maximally stimulated cultures being approximately 12 μg/106 adrenocortical cells/day. In the absence of ACTH, a small amount of 20α-hydroxypregn-4-en-3-one, but no detectable corticosterone, was secreted, resulting in a fluorogenic steroid output 1/125 th of that of maximally stimulated cultures. Restimulation with ACTH of cultures maintained for up to 2 months in its absence resulted in maximum levels of corticosterone secretion after 4–5 days of continuous ACTH treatment. The levels of corticosterone secretion attained on restimulation were similar to those observed in cultures maintained with ACTH from the out set. Withdrawal of ACTH resulted in a fall in steroid output which took 10 days to reach final unstimulated levels. Trophic stimulation of corticosteroidogenesis with a similar time-course was obtained with both cyclic AMP and dibutyryl cyclic AMP, the latter being the more effective.