title: Non-ACTH POMC fragments stimulate aldosterone production by human adrenal cells in vitro.
abstract: The possibility that non-ACTH proopiomelanocortin-derived fragments may stimulate aldosterone production has previously been studied using nonhuman cells with inconsistent results. We have examined the response of aldosterone to beta-endorphin (beta-End) and joining peptide (JP) and compared these with the response to ACTH using eight cell suspensions prepared from human adrenal glands. ACTH, 10(-6), 10(-8), and 10(-10) M, consistently stimulated aldosterone accumulation above that occurring in unstimulated cells (150 +/- 83, 120 +/- 62, and 77 +/- 32 fmol/10(4) cells above basal, respectively; mean +/- SE; p < 0.05). beta-End significantly stimulated aldosterone production at 10(-6) and 10(-8) M (114 +/- 84 and 50 +/- 24 fmol/10(4) cells above basal; p < 0.05); 10(-10) M beta-End did not provide significant stimulation. Furthermore, JP stimulated aldosterone biosynthesis (41 +/- 16 fmol/10(4) cells above basal; p < 0.05), only at the highest concentration used, 10(-6) M. The addition of 10(-8) M ACTH plus 10(-6) and 10(-10) M beta-End to human adrenal cells yielded values significantly greater than those achieved with either agent alone (267 +/- 152 and 183 +/- 89 fmol/10(4) cells above basal; p < 0.05). These data indicate for the first time that beta-End and JP have the capacity to stimulate aldosterone production in human adrenal cells in vitro. The physiological and potential clinical significance of these observations has yet to be elucidated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes Mellitus, St. Vincent's Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Molloy
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: U M
authors.initials: UM
authors.lastname: Fearon
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: McKenna
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000737:chemistry*; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D000450:Aldosterone; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone