Long-term effects of ACTH combined with angiotensin II on steroidogenesis and adrenal zona glomerulosa morphology in the rat

1987 ◽  
Vol 114 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne M. Riondel ◽  
Piera Rebuffat ◽  
Giuseppina Mazzochi ◽  
Gastone G. Nussdorfer ◽  
Rolf C. Gaillard ◽  
...  

Abstract. To test the hypothesis that the trophic action of angiotensin II on the adrenal zona glomerulosa may allow a sustained stimulation of aldosterone by ACTH by preventing the morphological changes of the zona glomerulosa cells into zona fasciculata-like elements we investigated the effects in rats of a 6-day treatment with ACTH (100 μg/kg/day) alone or combined with angiotensin II (300 ng/kg/day) on corticosterone and aldosterone production and adrenal morphology. The responsiveness of both steroids to an acute ACTH dose was also studied on the last day of long-term treatment. Morphologic data showed that prolonged ACTH treatment stimulated the growth of zona glomerulosa cells, though it transformed the tubulo-lamellar cristae of mitochondria into a homogeneous population of vesicles. Angiotensin II furthered the trophic effects of ACTH but prevented the mitochondrial transformation. Despite its ability to conserve the well differentiated aspect of the zona glomerulosa cells, the administration of angiotensin II was unable to prevent the fall in the secretion of aldosterone caused by chronic ACTH treatment and its subsequent unresponsiveness to ACTH stimulation.

1974 ◽  
Vol 185 (1081) ◽  
pp. 375-407 ◽  

The densities of latex spheres and biological cells can be reliably determined from their sedimentation rate in an albumin gradient under unit gravitational force. The densities of zona glomerulosa and fasciculata cells of rat adrenals were found to be 1.072 ± 0.004 and 1.040 ± 0.001 respectively. Purified zona glomerulosa cells of rat adrenals can be prepared by gravitational sedimentation of dispersed cells from capsule strippings of the gland, which originally contain 3 to10% zona fasciculata contamination. Electron and phase microscopic examination of the sedimented glomerulosa cells and their steroidogenic response to ACTH and cyclic AMP indicate that they are reasonably free of contamination from zona fasciculata cells. Electron microscopic examination of the purified glomerulosa cells indicates that most of them are reasonably normal in structure. Their basal production of corticosterone is decreased after sedimentation. However, their maximal response of corticosterone output to serotonin and potassium and their response to all potassium concentrations is not significantly altered, indicating normal function for the cells producing steroids. Their maximal responses to ACTH, valine angiotensin II and cyclic AMP are decreased, but, at the doses used, steroidogenesis by the zona fasciculata contamination in the unfractionated preparation would be stimulated by these substances. Purified zona glomerulosa cells have about the same maximal response of corticosterone output (about twofold) to potassium, valine and isoleucine angiotensin II, serotonin and ACTH. The maximal response of the purified zona glomerulosa cells to cyclic AMP is similar to that elicited by valine and isoleucine angiotensin II, potassium, serotonin or ACTH. This indicates that if these stimuli act by increasing cyclic AMP output, then the maximal response of corticosterone output (about twofold) is defined by the limited response of the biosynthetic pathways to cyclic AMP.


1995 ◽  
Vol 145 (2) ◽  
pp. 283-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
J P Hinson ◽  
L A Cameron ◽  
S Kapas

Abstract Neuropeptide Y (NPY) has been identified in nerves supplying the adrenal cortex of several mammalian species, although its function in this tissue is unknown. The present studies, employing adrenocortical cells prepared by collagenase digestion, have shown that NPY, in the absence of other stimulants, has no effect on steroid secretion by the rat adrenal over a range of peptide concentrations (10−11 to 10 −6 mol/l). However, in the presence of physiological concentrations of ACTH, which are submaximal for the stimulation of aldosterone secretion, NPY (10−6 mol/l) significantly enhanced the secretion rate of aldosterone by rat zona glomerulosa cells in response to ACTH. This effect was specific to the rat zona glomerulosa as NPY had no effect on the response to ACTH in rat zona fasciculata cells. The effect of NPY appears to be biphasic, however, as NPY significantly attenuated the steroidogenic response to supramaximal ACTH concentrations: in rat zona glomerulosa cells the aldosterone response to 10 −8 mol ACTH/l was significantly inhibited by NPY. The effect of NPY on the ACTH response appeared to be mediated by changes in the cAMP response. NPY had no effect on the steroidogenic response to potassium ions (K+), but enhanced the response to angiotensin II. NPY (10 −6 mol/l) significantly stimulated inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) production although this concentration of peptide had no effect on steroid secretion. The effects of NPY on InsP3 production were additive with those of angiotensin II. These results suggest that the role of NPY in the adrenal cortex may be to regulate the sensitivity of the zona glomerulosa to peptide stimulation. Journal of Endocrinology (1995) 145, 283–289


1981 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. B. G. BELL ◽  
J. F. TAIT ◽  
S. A. S. TAIT ◽  
G. D. BARNES ◽  
B. L. BROWN

The effects of pure [Asp1, Val5]- and [Asn1, Val5]-angiotensin II and also [des-Asp1, Ile5]-angiotensin II (angiotensin III) on cyclic AMP and steroid outputs by dispersed rat capsular cells, comprising 95% zona glomerulosa and 5% zona fasciculata cells, have been studied. The results showed that [Asp1, Val5]- and [Asn1, Val5]-angiotensin II, at doses between 2·5 × 10−1 1 and 2 × 10−4 mol/l, which produced typical increases in steroidogenesis, failed to increase output of cyclic AMP. This lack of effect was observed whether the nucleotide was measured by radioimmunoassay or by adrenal binding protein and under the same conditions in which 8·4 mm-K+ consistently increased the output of cyclic AMP. Instead the results showed a small but significant decrease in cyclic AMP output with angiotensin II. Similar results were obtained with incubations for 60 rather than 120 min and with medium containing a concentration of 5 or 40 g bovine serum albumin/l. Although the levels of cyclic AMP were generally higher in the presence of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor, 3-isobutyl-l-methylxanthine, the same decrease relative to basal outputs was observed with angiotensin II which increased steroidogenesis. Angiotensin III also failed to increase output of cyclic AMP at doses (2·5×10−9 to 2·5×10−6 mol/l) which produced increases in steroid output equivalent to those obtained with angiotensin II. These results indicate that angiotensin II and III can act through a cyclic AMP- independent mechanism.


1986 ◽  
Vol 112 (3) ◽  
pp. 404-408 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Robba ◽  
Piera Rebuffat ◽  
Giuseppina Mazzocchi ◽  
Gastone G. Nussdorfer

Abstract. The effects of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) on the rat adrenal cortex were investigated by coupled morphometric and radioimmunological techniques. Short-term α-MSH administration provoked a significant increase in the aldosterone plasma level along with a notable lipid droplet depletion in zona glomerulosa cells. Long-term α-MSH treatment induced a notable hypertrophy of zona glomerulosa cells and a further rise in the blood concentration of aldosterone. α-MSH did not affect zona fasciculata morphology and corticosterone plasma level. The possibility is discussed that α-MSH may be specifically involved in the control of the growth and steroidogenic capacity of rat adrenal zona glomerulosa.


1994 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 689-693 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Raff ◽  
B. Jankowski

We have demonstrated that the aldosteronogenic pathway of the zona glomerulosa is unusually sensitive to modest changes in PO2 (Michaelis constant for O2 approximately 95 Torr). The current study evaluated the interaction of CO (the classic ligand for P-450 enzymes) and the decreases in O2 on aldosteronogenesis in vitro. Bovine adrenocortical zona glomerulosa cells were incubated for 2 h and stimulated with either adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) or angiotensin II. Ten and 20% CO led to significant decreases in cAMP- and angiotensin II-stimulated aldosteronogenesis. The combination of 20% CO and moderate decreases in PO2 (from approximately 140 to approximately 100 Torr) led to an interactive decrease in aldosterone production. The conversion of corticosterone to aldosterone catalyzed by aldosterone synthase, which is the site of O2 sensitivity, was not significantly inhibited by CO. We conclude that the aldosterone pathway is not exceptionally sensitive to CO compared with other steroidogenic pathways. This observation suggests that the unique O2-sensitive properties of the aldosterone pathway located primarily within aldosterone synthase may not reside in its CO binding site (i.e., heme).


1980 ◽  
Vol 95 (4) ◽  
pp. 523-527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppina Mazzocchi ◽  
Piera Rebuffat ◽  
Anna S. Belloni ◽  
Claudia Robba ◽  
Gastone G. Nussdorfer

Abstract. The effects of angiotensin II on the rat zona glomerulosa were investigated by morphometric and radio-immunological methods. Short-term (l h) angiotensin-administration induced lipid depletion in zona glomerulosa cells and a significant rise in the plasma aldosterone concentration. Chronic angiotensin-treatment provoked a noticeable increase in the volume of the zona glomerulosa and its cells, which was mainly due to the hypertrophy of smooth endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial compartment. In chronically treated animals the output of aldosterone in response to a short-term stimulation with angiotensin II displayed a significant increase. These findings are interpreted as indicating that angiotensin II is involved in the stimulation of the growth and steroidogenic capacity of the rat zona glomerulosa.


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