title: Corticotropin-releasing hormone directly stimulates cortisol and the cortisol biosynthetic pathway in human fetal adrenal cells.
abstract: Near term the human fetal adrenals (HFAs) initiate production of cortisol, which promotes organ maturation and acts to increase placental CRH biosynthesis. The objective of the present study was to determine whether CRH directly stimulates both cortisol production and expression of the steroidogenic enzymes in HFA-definitive zone cells. CRH stimulated the production of cortisol in a time- and dose-dependent manner, with an effective concentration of as low as 0.01 nm. In real-time RT-PCR experiments, CRH treatment increased the mRNA levels of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein and each of the enzymes needed to produce cortisol. CRH induced 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type II (HSD3B2) by 34-fold, 21-hydroxylase (CYP21) by 55-fold, and 11beta-hydroxylase by 41-fold. Induction of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, cholesterol side chain cleavage (CYP11A), and 17alpha-hydroxylase (CYP17) mRNA by CRH was 6-, 4-, and 6-fold, respectively. We also demonstrated that submaximal concentrations of CRH (30 pm) and ACTH (30 pm) that are seen in fetal circulation were additive on cortisol biosynthesis and 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type II mRNA induction. We suggest that CRH may play an important role in the late gestational rise in cortisol secretion from the HFAs, which may serve to augment placental CRH production and therefore participate in the endocrine cascade that is involved in fetal organ maturation and potentially in the timing of human parturition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Room J6.114, Dallas, Texas 75390-9032, USA.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sirianni
authors.forename: Khurram S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Rehman
authors.forename: Bruce R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: C Richard
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Rainey
mesh_terms: D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000378:metabolism*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002786:Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme / Q000235:genetics; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics; D013997:Time Factors; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein
chemical_list: D010750:Phosphoproteins; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase; D002786:Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme; D006854:Hydrocortisone