Molecular control of luteal secretion of progesterone

Cholesterol provided by low- or high-density lipoprotein is the precursor for biosynthesis of progesterone. Once inside the cell, cholesterol can be used for steroidogenesis or esterified with long-chain fatty acids and stored as cholesterol esters in lipid droplets. When it is needed for steroidogenesis, free cholesterol is transported to the mitochondrion via a mechanism that involves cytoskeletal elements and sterol carrier proteins. Cytochrome P450 cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme complex converts the cholesterol to pregnenolone, which is then converted to progesterone by 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/delta5,delta4 isomerase in the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Transport of cholesterol from the cytoplasm to the inner mitochondrial membrane is both the rate-limiting step in progesterone biosynthesis and the step most acutely influenced by second messengers. Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptors (PBR) are involved in this transport. StAR may bind cholesterol in the cytosol and transport it to the mitochondrial membrane where PBR is involved in transport from the outer to the inner mitochondrial membrane. Phosphorylation of StAR by protein kinase A (PKA) stimulates cholesterol transport, whereas phosphorylation by PKC may inhibit this process. Endozepine, the natural ligand for PBR, also appears to be involved in regulation of the rate of cholesterol transport to the inner mitochondrial membrane and to play a role in the stimulatory effects of PKA on steroidogenesis. Increased concentrations of endozepine were detected in large luteal cells, and may explain the increased progesterone secretion from this type of cell. Fluorescence energy transfer procedures indicate that StAR associates with PBR in mitochondrial membranes. A model is presented for the proposed interactions of StAR, PBR and endozepine in the transport of cholesterol from the outer to the inner mitochondrial membrane.

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SAT-562 Angiotensin II Induces Aldosterone Synthesis in the Rat Heart Stressed by Angiotensin II

Journal of the Endocrine Society ◽

10.1210/jendso/bvaa046.595 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Himangshu S Bose ◽

Randy M Whittal ◽

Maheshinie Rajapaksha ◽

Brendan Marshall ◽

Ning-Ping Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Angiotensin Ii ◽

Rat Heart ◽

Mitochondrial Membrane ◽

Myocardial Injury ◽

Cardiac Fibrosis ◽

De Novo ◽

Regulatory Protein ◽

Zona Glomerulosa ◽

Inner Mitochondrial Membrane ◽

Native Page

Abstract Aldosterone (Aldo) causes myocardial injury and fibrosis. While most Aldo is made by the adrenal zona glomerulosa; there have been controversial reports that Aldo is also synthesized in the heart; such myocardial synthesis of Aldo might contribute to myocardial injury. We induced cardiac fibrosis in rats by infusing angiotensin II (AngII) @ 500 ng/kg/min via subcutaneous pumps. After 4 weeks, circulating corticosterone increased about 400-fold from ~29 nM to ~11 μM. Aldo synthesis in isolated mitochondria (mito) was assessed by conversion of tritiated deoxycorticosterone to Aldo; AngII infusion doubled Aldo synthesis, and this augmented synthesis was inhibited in mito from rats receiving AngII + telmisartan, which inhibits the binding of AngII to the AT1 receptor. Western blotting showed P450c11AS (Aldo synthase) was also stimulated by AngII and inhibited by telmisartan in both rat heart and H9c2 myocardial cells. 2-dimentional native PAGE and mass spectrometry showed that a 290-kDa complex on the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) contained P450c11AS, Tom22 (a translocase associated with the outer mitochondrial membrane, OMM), and StAR (the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein). Immunocytochemistry and transmission electron microscopy monitoring of immune-gold particles confirmed that P450c11AS, Tom22, and StAR were associated with the mito, that P450c11AS and StAR were associated with the IMM and that P450c11AS and StAR, but not Tom22, were increased by AngII. Cardiac Aldo synthesis required myocardial expression of P450c11AS, but expression of P450scc, the initial steroidogenic enzyme that converts cholesterol to pregnenolone, was undetectable, indicating the heart cannot make Aldo de novo from cholesterol. The only known action of StAR is to promote the movement of cholesterol from the OMM to IMM; nevertheless, we found that intramitochondrial StAR is required for Aldo synthesis; protein crosslinking with BS3 showed that Tom22 forms a bridge between StAR and P450c11AS. This is the first activity ascribed to intramitochondrial StAR, but the manner by which StAR promotes P450c11AS activity is unclear. As P450scc was undetectable, and circulating concentrations of corticosterone approached the Km (~28 μM) for the use of corticosterone as a substrate for P450c11AS, we suggest that cardiac P450c11AS uses circulating steroids for substrate. Thus the stressed heart produces aldosterone using a previously undescribed intramitochondrial mechanism that involves P450c11AS, Tom22 and StAR

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B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Inhibited Angiotensin II-Stimulated Cholesterol Biosynthesis, Cholesterol Transfer, and Steroidogenesis in Primary Human Adrenocortical Cells

Endocrinology ◽

10.1210/en.2006-1599 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 148 (8) ◽

pp. 3722-3729 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Faquan Liang ◽

Ann M. Kapoun ◽

Andrew Lam ◽

Debby L. Damm ◽

Diana Quan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Angiotensin Ii ◽

Mitochondrial Membrane ◽

Coenzyme A ◽

Cholesterol Biosynthesis ◽

Low Density Lipoprotein ◽

Density Lipoprotein ◽

Low Density ◽

Ang Ii ◽

Inner Mitochondrial Membrane ◽

Adrenocortical Cells

In this study, we demonstrate that B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) opposed angiotensin II (Ang II)-stimulated de novo cholesterol biosynthesis, cellular cholesterol uptake, cholesterol transfer to the inner mitochondrial membrane, and steroidogenesis, which are required for biosynthesis of steroid hormones such as aldosterone and cortisol in primary human adrenocortical cells. BNP dose-dependently stimulated intracellular cGMP production with an EC50 of 11 nm, implying that human adrenocortical cells express the guanylyl cyclase A receptor. cDNA microarray and real-time RT-PCR analyses revealed that BNP inhibited Ang II-stimulated genes related to cholesterol biosynthesis (acetoacetyl coenzyme A thiolase, HMG coenzyme A synthase 1, HMG coenzyme A reductase, isopentenyl-diphosphate Δ-isomerase, lanosterol synthase, sterol-4C-methyl oxidase, and emopamil binding protein/sterol isomerase), cholesterol uptake from circulating lipoproteins (scavenger receptor class B type I and low-density lipoprotein receptor), cholesterol transfer to the inner mitochondrial membrane (steroidogenic acute regulatory protein), and steroidogenesis (ferredoxin 1,3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, glutathione transferase A3, CYP19A1, CYP11B1, and CYP11B2). Consistent with the microarray and real-time PCR results, BNP also blocked Ang II-induced binding of 125I-labeled low-density lipoprotein and 125I-labeled high-density lipoprotein to human adrenocortical cells. Furthermore, BNP markedly inhibited Ang II-stimulated release of estradiol, aldosterone, and cortisol from cultured primary human adrenocortical cells. These findings demonstrate that BNP opposes Ang II-induced steroidogenesis via multiple steps from cholesterol supply and transfer to the final formation of steroid hormones. This study provides new insights into the cellular mechanisms by which BNP modulates Ang II-induced steroidogenesis in the adrenal gland.

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Ablation of Vimentin Results in Defective Steroidogenesis

Endocrinology ◽

10.1210/en.2012-1048 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 153 (7) ◽

pp. 3249-3257 ◽

Cited By ~ 44

Author(s):

Wen-Jun Shen ◽

Syed Kashif Zaidi ◽

Shailja Patel ◽

Yuan Cortez ◽

Masami Ueno ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chorionic Gonadotropin ◽

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin ◽

Mitochondrial Membrane ◽

Lipid Droplets ◽

Regulatory Protein ◽

Intermediate Filament Protein ◽

Inner Mitochondrial Membrane ◽

Steroid Production ◽

Genetic Ablation

In steroidogenic tissues, cholesterol must be transported to the inner mitochondrial membrane to be converted to pregnenolone as the first step of steroidogenesis. Whereas steroidogenic acute regulatory protein has been shown to be responsible for the transport of cholesterol from the outer to the inner mitochondrial membrane, the process of how cholesterol moves to mitochondria from the cytoplasm is not clearly defined. The involvement of the cytoskeleton has been suggested; however, no specific mechanism has been confirmed. In this paper, using genetic ablation of an intermediate filament protein in mice, we present data demonstrating a marked defect in adrenal and ovarian steroidogenesis in the absence of vimentin. Cosyntropin-stimulated corticosterone production is decreased 35 and 50% in male and female Vimentin null (Vim−/−) mice, respectively, whereas progesterone production is decreased 70% in female Vim−/− mice after pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin and human chorionic gonadotropin stimulation, but no abnormalities in human chorionic gonadotropin-stimulated testosterone production is observed in male Vim−/− mice. These defects in steroid production are also seen in isolated adrenal and granulosa cells in vitro. Further studies show a defect in the movement of cholesterol from the cytosol to mitochondria in Vim−/− cells. Because the mobilization of cholesterol from lipid droplets and its transport to mitochondria is a preferred pathway for the initiation of steroid production in the adrenal and ovary but not the testis and vimentin is a droplet-associated protein, our results suggest that vimentin is involved in the movement of cholesterol from its storage in lipid droplets to mitochondria for steroidogenesis.

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Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein and luteinizing hormone are required for normal ovarian steroidogenesis and oocyte maturation in zebrafish†

Biology of Reproduction ◽

10.1093/biolre/ioz132 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 101 (4) ◽

pp. 760-770 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Guohui Shang ◽

Xuyan Peng ◽

Cheng Ji ◽

Gang Zhai ◽

Yonglin Ruan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Luteinizing Hormone ◽

Oocyte Maturation ◽

Mitochondrial Membrane ◽

Regulatory Protein ◽

Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein ◽

Transcription Activator ◽

Inner Mitochondrial Membrane ◽

Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory ◽

Functional Deficiency

Abstract In recent studies, luteinizing hormone (LH) was reported to play important roles in oocyte maturation. However, the mechanism by which LH signaling, especially regarding the steroidogenesis process, affects oocyte maturation has not been clarified. In this study, zebrafish models with a functional deficiency in luteinizing hormone beta (Lhb) or steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (Star), an enzyme that promotes the transport of cholesterol into the inner mitochondrial membrane for maturation-induced hormone (MIH) production, were generated using transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs). Similar phenotypes of the maturation-arrested oocytes in both female mutants have been observed. The levels of MIH in the oocytes of the female mutants were clearly decreased in both the lhb and star knockout zebrafish. The expression of star was dramatically down-regulated in the lhb mutant follicles and was clearly promoted by forskolin and hCG in vitro. Furthermore, treatment with the MIH precursors, pregnenolone or progesterone, as well as with MIH itself rescued the maturation-arrested oocyte phenotypes in both lhb and star mutants. The plasma levels of other steroids, including testosterone, estradiol, and cortisol, were not affected in the lhb mutants, while the levels of gonad hormones testosterone and estradiol were significantly increased in the star mutants. The cortisol levels were decreased in the star mutants. Collectively, our results confirm that LH plays important roles in the initiation of MIH synthesis from cholesterol and maintains oocyte maturation in zebrafish, as well as provide evidence that Star might act downstream of LH signaling in steroidogenesis.

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