Endothelial cells stimulate aldosterone release from bovine adrenal zona glomerulosa cells.
Intra-adrenal factors promote basal as well as adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-, angiotensin-, and flow-induced steroid secretion. Because endothelial cells respond to changes in flow and are in a close anatomical relationship to steroidogenic cells, we examined the effect of endothelial cells on the secretion of aldosterone from zona glomerulosa (ZG) cells. Endothelial cells and endothelial cell-conditioned medium (EC-CM) stimulated the release of aldosterone from ZG cells. The stimulatory effect was related to the concentration of endothelial cells or EC-CM. The maximal stimulatory effect was 60-70% of the maximal effect of ACTH. Endothelial cells alone did not produce aldosterone. Human fibroblasts were ineffective in promoting aldosterone release. Endothelial cells and EC-CM failed to stimulate cortisol release from zona fasciculata cells. Treatment of the EC-CM with trypsin and pronase abolished the activity, indicating that a protein mediated the effect. However, the EC-CM activity could be distinguished from angiotensin, endothelin-1, and bradykinin. The factor stimulated the formation of pregnenolone but not the conversion of corticosterone to aldosterone. This endothelium-derived steroidogenic factor appeared to be a novel stimulus to aldosterone secretion. This study represents the first demonstration that endothelial cells alter endocrine function in vitro.
Rosolowsky
L J
LJ
Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235-9041.
Campbell
W B
WB
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003470:Culture Media / Q000494:pharmacology; D004355:Drug Stability; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D008055:Lipids; D008863:Microspheres; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011402:Pronase / Q000494:pharmacology; D012995:Solubility; D013997:Time Factors; D014357:Trypsin / Q000494:pharmacology; D015384:Zona Glomerulosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
D003470:Culture Media; D006133:Growth Substances; D008055:Lipids; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000450:Aldosterone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D014357:Trypsin; D011402:Pronase; D006854:Hydrocortisone