title: Molecular evidence of organic ion transporters in the rat adrenal cortex with adrenocorticotropin-regulated zonal expression.
abstract: Experimental evidence suggested that secretion of steroid hormones from adrenocortical cells involves carrier-mediated transport: Cortisol release from, and uptake of p-[3H]aminohippurate into, bovine adrenocortical cells showed properties of the renal p-[3H]aminohippurate/anion exchanger OAT1. Other poly-specific transporters such as organic anion-transporting polypeptides (oatps) and organic cation transporters (OCTs) could also be involved in steroid hormone release. A homology-cloning procedure was established to detect these transporters in rat adrenal gland cDNA. PCR revealed the presence of OAT1, oatp1, oatp2, and oatp3. In situ hybridization localized OAT1 in the outer zona fasciculata, oatp3 in the zona glomerulosa, and oatp1 and oatp2 in the inner zona fasciculata and outer zona reticularis. An OCT2-specific probe produced signals in the zona glomerulosa and outer zona fasciculata. Pretreatment of rats with ACTH increased the expression of OAT1 mRNA that spread to all zones, and hypophysectomy strongly decreased it. A less pronounced regulation was detected for OCT2 and oatp3. Specific antibodies confirmed the localization of OAT1 in the outer zona fasciculata, supporting a possible role of OAT1 in cortisol release. The zonated distribution of transporters furthermore suggest that oatp1-3 and OCT2 may be important for the endocrine function of rat adrenocortical cells.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Nephrologie und Rheumatologie, Universität Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Béery
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Middel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bahn
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Willenberg
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hagos
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koepsell
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Bornstein
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Burckhardt
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steffgen
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D007016:Hypophysectomy; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D009865:Oocytes; D027362:Organic Anion Transport Protein 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029362:Organic Anion Transporters, Sodium-Independent / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014018:Tissue Distribution / Q000187:drug effects; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D027362:Organic Anion Transport Protein 1; D029362:Organic Anion Transporters, Sodium-Independent; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C088800:Slc22a7 protein, rat; C114338:organic anion transport protein 3; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone