title: Hormonal regulation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase mRNA in the rat adrenal gland.
abstract: We studied the effect of ACTH on 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase enzyme. Reductase activity and reductase mass were enhanced by 22- and 6.2-fold respectively in one series of experiments, whereas in another the levels of reductase activity, reductase mass, and reductase mRNA were increased 6.6-, 3.6- and 2.2-fold respectively, following daily administration of exogenous ACTH for 3 days. Daily injection of 4-aminopyrazolopyrimidine (4-APP) to rats for 3 days increased circulating ACTH level 5.4-fold, whereas adrenal HMG-CoA reductase activity, reductase mass and reductase mRNA levels were greatly increased 36-, 10- and 16-fold, respectively. To counteract the effect of elevated plasma ACTH, dexamethasone acetate (Dex) was administered to 4-APP treated rats. At 3 h post Dex administration, plasma ACTH and corticosteroids levels were effectively decreased by 58 and 59%, respectively. The levels of adrenal HMG-CoA reductase mRNA, reductase activity and reductase mass were also diminished by 38, 31 and 40%, respectively. Our results show that rat adrenal HMG-CoA reductase can respond rapidly to hormonal changes, presumably through variations in circulating ACTH levels.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Lehoux
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lefebvre
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bélisle
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bellabarba
mesh_terms: D000225:Adenine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000097:blood; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C004420:4-aminopyrazolo(3,4-d)pyrimidine; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases; D000225:Adenine