title: Effects of adrenocorticotropic hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin, and insulin on steroid production by human adrenocortical carcinoma cells in culture.
abstract: Adrenocortical carcinoma tissue removed from a mildly hirsute 16-year-old girl was cultured in order to assess steroidogenesis and responsiveness of the cells to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), and insulin. The cells in culture produced large amounts of androstenedione and testosterone; however, production of cortisol, which was initially high, decreased with time. No aldosterone, estrone, or estradiol was produced in vitro. Both monolayer cells maintained for 6 weeks and organ culture explants maintained for over 3 days responded to ACTH (10(-7) M) with increased production of androgens (testosterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone) but decreased production of cortisol as measured by radioimmunoassay of steroids in the culture media. Concomitant with decreased cortisol production was the enhanced formation of 11-deoxycortisol in cells exposed to ACTH, suggesting impaired 11 beta-hydroxylation. Tissue exposed to HCG (10(-7) M) in organ culture showed an increase in androgen production over control levels, but no significant effect of HCG on glucocorticoid production was found. Tumor cells differed in their androgen response to ACTH and HCG, with enhanced adrenal androgens in the presence of ACTH and more gonadal-type androgens after exposure to HCG. Insulin exposure had no effect on production of either androgen or glucocorticoid by tumor tissue in organ culture. Thus, this adrenocortical carcinoma showed marked androgen production in culture which was enhanced in different ways by ACTH and HCG. 11 beta-Hydroxylation was impaired with time in culture. No specific effect of insulin on steroidogenesis was noted.
authors.forename: X L
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Villee
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ellison
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Todd
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Loring
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006900:Hydroxylation; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D007328:Insulin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone