title: Effects of RU 486 on adrenal steroidogenesis in the guinea-pig.
abstract: Recent reports have shown that RU 486, a synthetic glucocorticoid and progestin antagonist, has direct effects on tissues secreting steroids. In order to characterize the effects of RU 486 on steroidogenesis further, guinea-pig fasciculata-glomerulosa (FG) cells in primary culture were treated for 48 h with RU 486. RU 486 caused an alteration of basal as well as ACTH-stimulated steroid secretion. Corticosterone and cortisol secretion decreased by 50% while the secretion of 17-hydroxyprogesterone and C19 steroids were increased. The activity of steroidogenic enzymes was measured using tritiated steroids. In RU 486-treated cells, the activity of 21-hydroxylase was dramatically inhibited while there was an increase in 17-hydroxylase and 17,20-desmolase activities. The effects of RU 486 on enzyme activities were dependent upon dose and time. The effects of the compound were not reversed by concomitant treatment of FG cells with R-5020 or dexamethasone, thus suggesting that RU 486 acted directly on steroidogenic enzymes to alter their activity.
authors.affiliation: MRC Group in Molecular Endocrinology, CHUL Research Centre, Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Provencher
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bélanger
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fiet
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000446:Aldehyde-Lyases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000378:metabolism; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D015735:Mifepristone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases / Q000378:metabolism; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase; D013256:Steroids / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D013256:Steroids; D015735:Mifepristone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase; D000446:Aldehyde-Lyases