title: Steroid regulation of monoamine oxidase activity in the adrenal medulla.
abstract: Administration of different steroid hormones in vivo has distinct and specific effects on the MAO activity of the adrenal medulla. In an effort to reconstitute these effects in defined cells, we have isolated endothelial cells and chromaffin cells from the bovine adrenal medulla and tested each cell type for sensitivity to these steroids. As in the intact animal, we found that endothelial cell MAO activity was stimulated 1.5- 2.5-fold by 10 microM progesterone, hydrocortisone, and dexamethasone, inhibited by ca. 50% by 17-alpha-estradiol, but unaffected by testosterone. The type of MAO in the endothelial cells was found to be exclusively of the A type. The chromaffin cells had MAO B exclusively and were inert to treatment with dexamethasone. The mode of action of the various steroids on MAO A activity in endothelial cells seemed to be that of affecting the number of MAO molecules, as binding of [3H]pargyline, an MAO inhibitor, changed in proportion to changes in enzyme activity. Consistently, the kinetic parameters for MAO A showed changes in Vmax but not Km under all conditions. The specificity of steroid action on MAO A activity was also supported by the fact that steroid-induced changes in total cell division ([14C]thymidine incorporation) and total protein synthesis ([14C]leucine incorporation) were seen after changes in MAO A. We conclude that the differential effects of steroids on MAO activity in the intact adrenal medulla can be reproduced in cultured adrenal medullary endothelial cells but not in chromaffin cells. Therefore we suggest that the action of these steroid hormones on the intact adrenal medulla may be restricted to the endothelial cell component of this tissue.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Biology and Genetics, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Youdim
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kelner
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Offutt
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Pollard
mesh_terms: D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002838:Chromaffin System / Q000201:enzymology; D003010:Clorgyline / Q000494:pharmacology; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004727:Endothelium / Q000201:enzymology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology; D007700:Kinetics; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D010293:Pargyline / Q000494:pharmacology; D010624:Phenelzine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012642:Selegiline / Q000494:pharmacology; D013256:Steroids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D013256:Steroids; D012642:Selegiline; D013739:Testosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D003907:Dexamethasone; D004247:DNA; D010293:Pargyline; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase; D003010:Clorgyline; D010624:Phenelzine; D006854:Hydrocortisone