title: Effects of acrolein on the production of corticosterone in male rats.
abstract: Acrolein, an α, β-unsaturated aldehyde, exists in a wide range of sources. Acrolein can be not only generated from all types of smoke but also produced endogenously from the metabolism by lipid peroxidation. The cellular influence of acrolein is due to its electrophilic character via binding to and depleting cellular nucleophiles. Although the toxicity of acrolein has been extensively studied, there is relatively little information about its impact on hormone release. This study aimed at the effect of acrolein on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (H-P-A) axis. In an in vivo study, male rats were administrated with acrolein for 1 or 3days. The plasma corticosterone in response to a single injection of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) increased slowly in acrolein-pretreated rats than in control rats. Further investigating the steroidogenic pathway, the protein expressions of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and the upper receptor-melanocortin 2 receptor (MC2R) were attenuated in acrolein-treated groups. Another experiment using trilostane showed less activity of P450scc in zona fasciculata-reticularis (ZFR) cells in acrolein-treated groups. In addition to the suppressed ability of corticosterone production in ZFR cells, acrolein even had extended influence at higher concentrations. The lower ACTH was observed in the plasma from acrolein-pretreated rats. In an in vitro study, ZFR cells were incubated with acrolein and the results showed that corticosterone concentrations in media were decreased in a dose-dependent manner. Acrolein also desensitized the response of the ZFR cells to ACTH. These results suggested that acrolein decreased the releasing ability of corticosterone via an inhibition on the response of ZFR cells to ACTH and the reduction of protein expressions of StAR and MC2R as well as the activity of P450scc in rat ZFR cells. The present evidences showed that the H-P-A axis was affected by the administration of acrolein.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Yung-Hsing
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.affiliation: Medical Center of Aging Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40402, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40254, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Jou-Chun
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: Medical Center of Aging Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40402, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Ting-Chun
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Cheng-Hsin General Hospital, Taipei 11283, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Fu-Kong
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Lieu
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Cheng-Hsin General Hospital, Taipei 11283, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Jou-Yu
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Zhongxiao Branch, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei 11146, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Chii-Chang
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.affiliation: Aesthetic Medical Center, Department of Dermatology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33333, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33333, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Sindy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan, ROC; Medical Center of Aging Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40402, Taiwan, ROC; Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Biotechnology, College of Health Science, Asia University, Taichung 41354, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Medical Research and Education, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: pswang3879@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Paulus S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, Timakova Street, 4, Novosibirsk 630117, Russia.
authors.forename: Galina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Idova
authors.affiliation: Aesthetic Medical Center, Department of Dermatology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33333, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan 33333, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: swwang@mail.cgu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Shyi-Wu
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000171:Acrolein / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood*; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011284:Pregnenolone / Q000097:blood; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015383:Zona Fasciculata / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015385:Zona Reticularis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011284:Pregnenolone; D000171:Acrolein; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D003345:Corticosterone
keywords: ACTH; Acrolein; Adrenal cortex; Corticosterone; StAR protein; Zona fasciculata-reticularis