title: Effects of proopiomelanocortin peptides and angiotensin II on steroidogenesis in isolated aldosteronoma cells.
abstract: Cells isolated from five aldosterone-producing adenomas were used to study glucocorticoid and aldosterone production in response to ACTH, angiotensin II (A II), and peptides derived from proopiomelanocortin (POMC), viz. the 16K N-terminal fragment (16K) and its derivative, gamma 3MSH and the C-terminal fragment beta-lipotropin (beta LPH) and its derivative beta-endorphin. At concentrations similar to those of ACTH and A II (10(-12)-10(-10) M), 16K, gamma 3MSH, and beta LPH selectively stimulated aldosterone production, which reached levels close to those obtained with A II. ACTH, however, was the most effective stimulant of steroidogenesis. The 16K, gamma 3MSH, and beta LPH peptides potentiated the action of ACTH, particularly in the case of aldosterone production. beta-Endorphin, whether used alone or in association with ACTH, had no effect on steroidogenesis at the dose used (10(-10) M). The principal glucocorticoid products of the adenoma cells were cortisol and corticosterone. The ratios of corticosterone to cortisol (B/F) and aldosterone to corticosterone (A/B) varied considerably from one adenoma to another, both basally and in response to ACTH. Nevertheless, within individual adenomas, the mean B/F ratio induced by ACTH [0.280 +/- 0.013 (+/- SEM)] was significantly larger than that induced by A II (0.127 +/- 0.007; P less than 0.001). By contrast, the A/B ratio in response to ACTH (0.061 +/- 0.003) was significantly smaller than that in response to A II (0.159 +/- 0.010; P less than 0.001). The values obtained with 16K (B/F, 0.106 +/- 0.010; A/B, 0.192 +/- 0.028) and gamma 3MSH (B/F, 0.122 +/- 0.012; A/B, 0.178 +/- 0.020) were close to those obtained with A II. 16K and gamma 3MSH potentiated ACTH's effect on steroidogenesis mainly by increasing the A/B ratio from 0.061 +/- 0.003 for ACTH alone to 0.100 +/- 0.008 for 16K plus ACTH (P less than 0.005) and to 0.092 +/- 0.005 for gamma 3MSH plus ACTH (P less than 0.001). The findings suggest that the stimulation of aldosterone production by 16K and gamma 3MSH in aldosteronoma cells is of the A II type and that these peptides may play a role in the genesis of primary aldosteronism.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Pham-Huu-Trung
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bogyo
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: de Smitter
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Girard
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004723:Endorphins / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D008083:beta-Lipotropin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D004723:Endorphins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D000804:Angiotensin II; D000450:Aldosterone; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones; D008083:beta-Lipotropin; D003345:Corticosterone; D006854:Hydrocortisone