title: Stable adrenocorticotropin-stimulated 11-beta-hydroxylase activity but loss of age-related changes in patients with hypercortisolemia.
abstract: Eleven-beta-hydroxylase activity was measured before and after acute adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) stimulation in 28 controls, 25 depressed Dexamethasone Suppression Test (DST) suppressors, 13 DST nonsuppressor patients, and 8 patients with Cushing's syndrome to investigate changes in states of cortisol hypersecretion. Eleven-beta-hydroxylase activity was equivalent among groups both before and after stimulation. Such 11-beta-hydroxylase stability, however, resulted in higher cortisol and 11-deoxycortisol poststimulation levels in both depressed DST nonsuppressors and Cushing's patients than in controls. Basal 11-beta-hydroxylase activity is positively correlated and 11-deoxycortisol is negatively correlated with age in controls and DST suppressors, but not in the patients tested with evidence of cortisol hypersecretion. These findings suggest that in vivo basal 11-beta-hydroxylase activity rises gradually with age, but does not rise after acute administration of exogenous ACTH. The age relationship is lost in states of cortisol hypersecretion, but the lack of response to acute exogenous ACTH is not affected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals, Iowa City 52242.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Kathol
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Meller
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Jaeckle
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Lopez
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D003350:Cortodoxone / Q000097:blood; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology*; D003907:Dexamethasone; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D013252:Steroid 11-beta-Hydroxylase / Q000378:metabolism*; D013250:Steroid Hydroxylases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003907:Dexamethasone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D013250:Steroid Hydroxylases; D013252:Steroid 11-beta-Hydroxylase; D003350:Cortodoxone; D006854:Hydrocortisone