Association of the GTP-binding protein Rab3A with bovine adrenal chromaffin granules.

The Rab3A protein belongs to a large family of small GTP-binding proteins that are present in eukaryotic cells and that share amino acid identities with the Ras proteins (products of the ras protooncogenes). Rab3A, which is specifically located in nervous and endocrine tissues, is suspected to play a key role in secretion. Its localization was investigated in bovine adrenal gland by using a polyclonal antibody. Rab3A was detected in adrenal medulla but not in adrenal cortex. In cultured adrenal medulla cells. Rab3A was specifically expressed in the catecholamine-secreting chromaffin cells. Subcellular fractionation suggested that Rab3A is about 30% cytosolic and that particulate Rab3A is associated with the membrane of chromaffin granules (the catecholamine storage organelles) and with a second compartment likely to be the plasma membrane. The Rab3A localization on chromaffin granule membranes was confirmed by immunoadsorption with an antibody against dopamine beta-hydroxylase. Rab3A was not extracted from this membrane by NaCl or KBr but was partially extracted by urea and totally solubilized by Triton X-100, suggesting either an interaction with an intrinsic protein or a membrane association through fatty acid acylation. This study suggests that Rab3A, which may also be located on other secretory vesicles containing noncharacterized small GTP-binding proteins, is involved in their biogenesis or in the regulated secretion process.

cAMP-dependent transcription of the human CYP21B (P-450C21) gene requires a cis-regulatory element distinct from the consensus cAMP-regulatory element.

By utilizing chimeric genes constructed from 5'-flanking sequences of the human CYP21B (P-450C21) gene and reporter genes (chloramphenicol acetyltransferase or rabbit beta-globin), a 34-nucleotide sequence has been found to be required for cAMP-dependent transcription. This sequence (-129/-96 base pairs) shows no homology to that of the consensus (CRE) cAMP-regulatory element. Gel retardation analysis shows that a protein-DNA complex is formed between this DNA sequence and nuclear proteins from mouse adrenal Y1 tumor cells or bovine adrenal cortical cells or human fetal adrenal tissue and that formation of this complex cannot be competed by DNA containing the consensus CRE sequence. Even though cAMP-enhanced accumulation of P-450C21 mRNA in primary cultures of bovine adrenocortical cells is inhibited by the protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide, reporter gene transcription enhanced by the cAMP-responsive -129/-96-base pair fragment of the human CYP21B gene is not. We conclude that cAMP-dependent transcription of the human P-450C21 gene (CYP21B), an event required for maintenance of optimal steroidogenic capacity in the adrenal cortex, involves a stable transcription factor(s) distinct from the CRE-binding protein. Furthermore the cAMP-dependent cis-regulatory element of the human P-450C21 gene is distinct from those found associated with the other steroid hydroxylase genes, 17 alpha-hydroxylase cytochrome P-450, cholesterol side chain cleavage cytochrome P-450, and 11 beta-hydroxylase cytochrome P-450, suggesting that each of these genes may require its own set of specific transcription factors for cAMP-dependent regulation.

Genetic analysis of the distribution of corticosterone-containing cells in mouse adrenal cortex.

Strains A/J and C57BL/6J (B6) differ in susceptibility to many neoplasms and infectious agents, with B6 mice generally being more resistant. Glucocorticoids protect against some of these pathologies. We examined the distribution of adrenocortical corticosterone (CS), the major endogenous glucocorticoid in mice, in these strains, using anti-CS serum. A distinct strain difference was found. B6 adrenals exhibited abundant CS-positive cells in cord-like arrays while A/J adrenals contained fewer, randomly arranged CS-positive cells. To quantify these results, each adrenal cortex was divided into eight sectors and each sector was classified as to phenotype. Ninety-three percent of the sectors of B6 cortices exhibited the cord-like pattern, whereas only 15% of the sectors of A/J cortices exhibited this pattern. These differences are consistent with a hypothesis that A/J mice are relatively deficient in the prophylactic activities of endogenous glucocorticoids. Adrenal glands from (C57BL/6J x A/J)F1 hybrid mice had approximately equal proportions of areas exhibiting each phenotype, indicating codominant alleles for this trait. We propose the name Cor for this gene. Thirty AXB and BXA recombinant inbred (RI) lines of mice derived from A/J and B6 progenitors were examined for CS immunostaining. Twenty-eight of them had either predominantly A/J-like or predominantly B6-like phenotypes. These RI data support either of two hypotheses. Hypothesis 1 emphasizes the nearly complete concordance of the RI lines with progenitor phenotypes and proposes that a single Cor gene regulates the distribution of CS-positive cells. Using this model, the strain distribution among RI lines implies linkage of Cor to a region on chromosome 6, 27-37 cM from the centromere. Hypothesis 2, which gives greater weight to the two RI lines with intermediate numbers of CS-positive cells, postulates an epistatic interaction between two Cor loci.

Affinity labeling of ACTH receptors in bovine adrenal cortex membranes.

Adrenocorticotropin labeled with 125I at Tyr23 [(125I-Tyr23]ACTH) was prepared by radioiodination of ACTH1-39 followed by reverse phase HPLC purification. When incubated with bovine adrenal cortical membranes, the radioligand bound specifically to a 40-kDa membrane protein as revealed by affinity labeling. This result indicates that the bovine adrenal ACTH receptor, whose identification and characterization have proved difficult, has an Mr of about 40,000.

Calmodulin-binding proteins in subcellular fractions of zones of the adrenal cortex.

The guinea pig adrenal cortex consists of a steroidogenic ACTH-responsive outer zone and an ACTH-unresponsive inner zone. It has been suggested that calmodulin plays an important role in ACTH-stimulated steroidogenesis. Thus, in an effort to examine the calmodulin 'system' in the guinea pig adrenal cortex model, Ca2+-dependent binding of calmodulin to proteins in subcellular fractions of the outer and inner zones was examined by the [125I]iodocalmodulin overlay technique and compared to similar studies utilizing pancreas, brain and liver tissue. Although the general pattern of calmodulin-binding proteins was similar for the two adrenocortical zones, quantitatively there was a striking difference with greater binding in the outer zone; this was particularly noteworthy for the mitochondrial fraction. The two most prominent calmodulin-binding proteins isolated from cytosol by calmodulin-Sepharose column chromatography had Mr of 60,000 and 47,000. The size of these two proteins suggested the presence of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. Western blot analysis, however, failed to demonstrate calmodulin kinase II in either zone, although it was clearly detectable in brain cytosol. The 60 K calmodulin-binding protein in the adrenal cortex also suggested the presence of the calmodulin-binding A subunit of the Ca2+/calmodulin-stimulated protein phosphatase, calcineurin. Western blot analysis did reveal the presence of calcineurin in the outer adrenocortical zone; it was not detectable, however, in the inner adrenocortical zone. The relation between the striking zonal differential for calmodulin-binding proteins and the zonal differential in ACTH-stimulated steroidogenesis in the guinea pig adrenal cortex will require further investigation.

Peptides related to the N-terminus of pro-opiomelanocortin in the human adrenal medulla.

The immunoreactive (IR) human N-terminal (hNT) of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) was measured by specific radioimmunoassay (RIA) and characterized by molecular sieving chromatography, concanavalin A-affinity chromatography and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The IR hNT levels were 380 +/- 144 ng/g wet wt (mean +/- SD) in the adrenal medulla (N:6), 21.6 +/- 6 ng/g wet wt in the adrenal cortex (N:6), and 45.6% ng/g wet wt in pheochromocytoma tissues (N:3). The IR hNT content of the adrenal medulla was found to be at least twice as high as that of the IR ACTH on a molar basis. Molecular sieving chromatography of IR hNT and IR gamma-3-melanotropin (MSH) showed two major molecular forms (apparent molecular weights of 14 and 12 kilodalton). These major forms were also separable using reversed-phase HPLC. In addition, a part of the IR ACTH material from the adrenal medulla extracts was eluted with an apparent molecular weight of 12 kilodalton. This latter form of IR ACTH was also separated from authentic human ACTH (1-39) by HPLC. Results obtained from concanavalin A-agarose chromatography suggest that one part of the IR gamma-3-MSH material from the adrenal medulla might be non-glycosylated. These results indicate the presence of IR hNT and IR gamma-3-MSH-like material in the human adrenal and also suggest a different processing pathway for POMC from that in the pituitary gland.

Light and electron microscopic evidences of the presence of c-fos-like immunoreactivity in the rat adrenal cortex.

The presence and localization of c-fos-like immunoreactivity in the rat adrenal cortex has been demonstrated by immunocytochemical methods at both light and electron microscopic level. C-fos-like immunoreactivity was detected in the zona fasciculata and the zona reticulata, but not in the zona glomerulosa. Ultrastructurally, all products of c-fos-like immunoreaction were localized exclusively in the regions associated with the euchromatin in the nucleus of the immunoreactive cells. Moreover, a higher density of the immunoreactive cells in the adrenal cortex of pregnant rats was found with quantitative immunocytochemistry as compared to the non-pregnant. The characteristic zonation of c-fos-like immunoreactivity in the adrenal cortex suggest that the c-fos protein is involved in the normal function of the glucocorticoid-producing cells of mammalian adrenals. The numerical increase in the immunoreactive cells in pregnant rats implies that basal expression of the c-fos-like protein may vary with the functional state of the cortical cells.

Flow cytometry of fetal adrenal glands with adrenocortical cytomegaly.

Adrenal glands from four autopsied fetuses of 18 to 36 weeks gestation showed varying degrees of cortical cytomegaly. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections from these four pairs of glands were studied by flow cytometry to analyze their DNA content and cell cycle parameters. Flow cytometry of Case 1, which had diffuse bilateral cytomegaly, demonstrated a major diploid peak, an increased percentage of tetraploid cells, and a decrease in S phase compared to an age-matched control with no evidence of cytomegaly (Case 2). Cases 3, 4, and 5 showed focal and/or unilateral adrenocortical cytomegaly and were diploid by flow cytometry with no differences in synthetic or tetraploid fractions compared to the control tissues. The focal distribution of the lesions or the limits of resolution of the instrumentation could account for some of these results. However, the findings in Case 1 suggest that the cytomegalic cells are tetraploid in DNA content and may have decreased DNA synthetic activity. A current hypothesis that these cells have undergone a period of sustained hyperactivity followed by exhaustion in reaction to an unknown stimulus is supported by our observations.

Immunological distribution of one form of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-binding protein and IGF peptides in human fetal tissues.

Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are expressed by, and are biologically active on, human fetal cells. The mitogenic actions of IGF-I are modulated by the 21-41 kDa class of IGF-binding proteins (IGF-BPs). Using a rabbit anti-human IGF-BP antibody raised against a highly pure 26 kDa IGF-BP derived from amniotic fluid, we have compared the cellular location of IGF-BP and IGF peptides in tissue sections from prostaglandin-induced human abortuses of 14-16 weeks of gestation. The monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies used were raised against human IGF-I, but did not distinguish between IGF-I and IGF-II. Positive staining for IGF-BP was seen in every tissue except brain, spleen and thyroid. With the exception of skin, the cellular distribution of IGF-BP was similar to that of IGF peptides. Strong immunostaining was found in hepatocytes, hepatic erythropoietic cells, pulmonary epithelium, the tubular epithelium of kidney, intestinal epithelia, the fetal adrenal cortex and cardiac and skeletal muscle fibres. In skin, IGF-BP was located throughout the dermis and in the germinal layer of the epidermis. IGF peptide in skin was restricted to the deeper dermal layers. In the tibial epiphyseal growth plate both IGF-BP and IGF peptide were located in chondrocytes throughout the proliferation and hypertrophic zones. The similarity in distribution of IGF-BP and IGF peptides in fetal tissues suggests that the latter may exist predominantly complexed to IGF-BP in or on the surfaces of cells in vivo. The distribution of IGF-BP may define the sites of biological action of IGF peptides.

A highly specific radioreceptor assay for the active circulating form of atrial natriuretic factor in human plasma.

This highly sensitive radioreceptor assay (RRA) for the active circulating form of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), fragment 99-126, in human plasma requires 125I-labeled ANF, bovine zona-glomerulosa membrane receptors, and amiloride HCl. The amiloride elicits an increase in the binding affinity of ANF to its receptors. ANF is extracted from human plasma with "Sep-Pak" cyano cartridges. After a 90-min incubation at 25 degrees C, bound and free fractions are separated by filtration. The ANF concentration that inhibits receptor binding of the radioligand by 50% is 12.4 fmol of unlabeled ANF per tube. The minimum detectable concentration is 0.2 fmol per tube. Using ANF-supplemented plasma samples, there was a good correlation (r = 0.99) between ANF concentrations found and those expected. Only the active circulating form of ANF fully cross-reacts in this assay, which confirms its high selectivity. Results correlated strongly (r = 0.93) for clinical samples tested by RRA and RIA.

Use of modified Fraser's stain in Promoting Activity Test (PAT).

The Promoting Activity Test (PAT) requires a staining procedure that allows rapid, accurate and reliable counting of mitotic figures. We propose use of Fraser's kernechtrot-crystal violet technique, but eliminating the picric-alcoholic differentiation to avoid fading. This modified protocol gives higher mitotic counts in adult mouse adrenal cortex than the hematoxylin-eosin originally used, especially with respect to less conspicuous prophases.

Relationship between mitochondrial lipid peroxidation and alpha-tocopherol levels in the guinea-pig adrenal cortex.

Lipid peroxidation in mitochondria from the functionally distinct inner (zona reticularis) and outer (zona fasciculata + zona glomerulosa) zones of the guinea-pig adrenal cortex was investigated. Ferrous ion (Fe2+)-induced lipid peroxidation was far greater in inner than outer zone mitochondria. Ascorbic acid similarly initiated lipid peroxidation to a greater extent in inner zone mitochondrial preparations. Differences in the unsaturated fatty acid content of inner and outer zone mitochondria could not account for the regional differences in lipid peroxidation. Total fatty acid concentrations were greater in the outer than in the inner zone, and the relative amounts of each fatty acid were similar in the two zones. However, mitochondrial concentrations of alpha-tocopherol, an antioxidant known to inhibit lipid peroxidation, were approx. 5-times greater in the outer than inner zone. The results demonstrate that there are regional differences in mitochondrial lipid peroxidation in the adrenal cortex which may be attributable to differences in alpha-tocopherol content. Thus, alpha-tocopherol may serve to protect outer zone mitochondrial enzymes from the consequences of lipid peroxidation and thereby contribute to some of the functional differences between the zones of the adrenal cortex.

Apparent stronger expression in the human adrenal cortex than in the human adrenal medulla of Mr 170,000-180,000 P-glycoprotein.

A monoclonal antibody (MAb), MRK 16, specific to Adriamycin-resistant human myelogenous leukemia cell line K562, was used to examine whether the antigen molecules (P-glycoprotein) recognized by the MAb are present in the adrenals. The materials examined included 61 human adrenals and several cell lines. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that almost all of the human adrenal specimens (59 out of 61) were stained positively with MAb MRK 16 and that the antigen was strongly expressed even in cases where anticancer agents had not been given. Immunoprecipitation showed that the Mr 170,000-180,000 glycoprotein was present in all of the adult adrenals but not in fetal and neonatal adrenals. Furthermore, fluorescence image analysis revealed that the P-glycoprotein was more strongly expressed in the cortex than in the medulla, showing a tendency to occur in cell clusters in the latter area. The cell lines derived from animal adrenals (SW-13, Y-1, and PC-12) showed no positive staining with MAb MRK 16. It is suggested that this glycoprotein may be related to maturation of the adrenal, in which it possibly plays a physiological role.

Isolation and purification of mature bovine adrenocortical ferredoxin with an elongated carboxyl end.

Mature bovine adrenocortical ferredoxin (adreno-ferredoxin) was extracted from fresh adrenal glands at pH 9.0. Extraction and purification at this alkaline pH protected the mature adreno-ferredoxin molecule from proteolytic degradation. The mature adreno-ferredoxin was extensively purified by a rapid procedure including two kinds of column chromatography, hydrophobic and ion exchange. The purified adreno-ferredoxin was homogeneous on the basis of two HPLC analyses, hydrophobic and ion exchange, and had the highest purity so far reported. Then it was digested by trypsin and the carboxyl-terminal peptide was isolated from the tryptic digest by a novel column chromatographic method using a cation-exchange HPLC column, TSK-gel SP-5PW. The carboxyl-terminal amino acid was isoleucine, so the adreno-ferredoxin had 127 amino acid residues, the longest polypeptide so far determined chemically for bovine adreno-ferredoxin. Only Glu-128 was lacking within the carboxyl-terminal elongated peptide that was found by nucleotide sequencing of the adreno-ferredoxin gene. There was no evidence obtained on whether the deletion of Glu-128 was due to so-called carboxyl-terminal processing or to proteolytic degradation during storage and purification.

Atrial natriuretic polypeptide in bovine adrenal medulla.

Two radioimmunoassays for alpha-human atrial natriuretic polypeptide (alpha-hANP) with different specificities were used to study the tissue level and the nature of alpha-hANP-like immunoreactivity in the bovine adrenal gland. A considerable amount of alpha-hANP-like immunoreactivity was detected in the adrenal medulla (90.8 +/- 21.1 and 90.0 +/- 23.1 ng/g with the two radioimmunoassays), while no detectable amount (less than 1.0 ng/g) was present in the cortex. Gel permeation chromatographic analysis showed that ANP in the medulla is composed of two components of alpha-hANP-like immunoreactivity with high and low molecular weights in the approximate ratio of 2:1, eluting at the elution positions of gamma-hANP and alpha-hANP, respectively. Reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatographic analysis revealed that alpha-hANP-like immunoreactivity with a low molecular weight in the medulla consists of two major components, which comigrate with synthetic alpha-hANP(5-28) and alpha-hANP. When cultured bovine adrenal chromaffin cells were incubated in the presence of nicotine (10(-5) M), alpha-hANP-like immunoreactivity was released into the medium concomitantly with catecholamines from chromaffin cells. These findings indicate that a discrete ANP system is present in the adrenal medulla and that ANP is cosecreted with catecholamines from chromaffin cells, suggesting the possible involvement of ANP in the adrenomedullary function.

Immunohistochemical localization of cytochrome P-450C21 in human adrenal cortex and its relation to endocrine function.

Cytochrome P-450C21 was successfully demonstrated in the human adrenal glands by a peroxidase-antiperoxidase method. All three cortical layers were stained in the normal adrenal glands, particularly the zonae glomerulosa and reticularis. Well-stained and faintly stained cells were intermingled in the zona fasciculata, suggestive of intrazonal variations. The immunoreactivity was particularly intense at the site of ACTH action, i.e., cells in micronodules and cells around myelolipomatous lesions in adrenocortical hyperplasia of Cushing's disease and sites of regeneration in the normal adrenal glands. In adrenocortical adenomas with Cushing's syndrome and primary aldosteronism, cells with large nuclei were generally stained well. In the adrenocortical tissue adjacent to a functioning adenoma, the immunoreactivity was observed only in the zona glomerulosa, especially in cases of primary aldosteronism. This finding is consistent with morphologic observations.

Interaction of a spin-labelled cholesterol derivative with the cytochrome P-450scc active site.

The cholesterol analogue 25-doxyl-27-nor-cholesterol (CNO), was found to be a substrate for cytochrome P-450scc. Upon incubation with the cytochrome P-450scc electron transfer system, CNO is transformed to pregnenolone (Km = 33 microM, Vmax = 0.32 min-1). The pregnenolone formation from endogenous cholesterol is strongly inhibited by CNO (50% at 5 microM). It binds tightly to cytochrome P-450scc as evidenced by a reversed type I spectral absorbance change (Kd = 5.9 microM) which is paralleled by a greater hyperfine splitting of the room-temperature CNO ESR spectrum due to an enhanced probe immobilization (Kd = 1.9 microM). This finding is in accord with a rotational correlation time of about 10(-7) s, which is close to the tumbling rate of the protein. At 110 K the CNO-bound cytochrome P-450scc displays the ESR g-values gx = 2.404/2.456, gy = 2.245 and gz = 1.916; these are different from those of cholesterol-liganded cytochrome P-450scc and may thus serve as a marker for cytochrome P-450scc. Our data indicate that the stereospecificity of the cytochrome P-450scc side-chain-cleaving activity is not dependent on the nature of the cholesterol side-chain termination (C25 to C27). The substrate binding site is however rather sensitive to a modification of the side chain. The doxyl ring confers a stronger affinity of the substrate to the enzyme. Upon binding it becomes embedded in the protein matrix, and we estimate that its final position is 0.6-1.0 nm from the heme moiety.

Adrenocortical pregnenolone-binding protein: identification and antibody development.

Pregnenolone-binding activity isolated from the cytosol of the guinea pig adrenal cortex appears to correspond to a Mr 34,000 protein when examined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis during different stages of purification. To verify this finding the Mr 34,000 protein band was eluted from the SDS gel and used to generate a polyclonal antibody. Immobilized anti 34,000 IgG on protein A-Sepharose was found to extract pregnenolone-binding activity from solution in contrast to pre-immune IgG and an antibody raised against a Mr 30,000 protein isolated simultaneously. In addition, protein eluted from the protein A-anti 34,000 IgG complex exhibited the expected molecular weight of 34,000 when examined on an SDS gel. These results, thus, confirm that the pregnenolone-binding protein is indeed a protein of Mr 34,000.

Regional differences in microsomal lipid peroxidation and antioxidant levels in the guinea pig adrenal cortex.

Lipid peroxidation (LP) and antioxidant levels were studied in the chromatically distinct inner (zona reticularis) and outer (zona fasciculata + zona glomerulosa) zones of the guinea pig adrenal cortex. Ferrous ion (Fe2+) produced a concentration-dependent (10(-5) to 10(-3) M) stimulation of microsomal LP in both zones, but LP, as estimated by malonaldehyde production, was far greater in the inner zone. Although cytosolic ascorbic acid content was similar in the two zones, microsomal tocopherol levels were approx 4 times greater in the outer than inner zone. Subphysiological concentrations of ascorbic acid, like Fe2+, initiated LP to a greater extent in inner than outer zone microsomes; optimal stimulation of LP by ascorbic acid occurred at concentrations of 100-200 microM in both zones. Physiological concentrations of ascorbic acid (1-5 mM), by contrast, did not initiate LP and, in fact, markedly inhibited Fe2+-induced LP in both inner and outer zone microsomal preparations. Outer zone microsomes were more sensitive to the antioxidant effects of ascorbic acid than were inner zone preparations. Addition of alpha-tocopherol to inner zone microsomal suspensions inhibited Fe2+-induced LP. The results indicate that there are regional differences in adrenocortical LP which may be caused by differences in tocopherol content. alpha-Tocopherol may serve important antioxidant functions within the adrenal cortex, thereby contributing to the functional zonation of the gland.

Evidence for two distinct voltage-gated calcium channel currents in bovine adrenal glomerulosa cells.

We analyzed inward Ca2+ currents in single bovine adrenal glomerulosa cell using whole-cell patch clamp techniques. Two types of voltage-gated Ca2+ channel currents were identified. One was a transient (T) type which decayed within 100 ms, characterized by a low threshold voltage (about -70 mv) similar to that seen in rat adrenal glomerulosa cells (Matsunaga, H. et al. (1987) Pflügers Arch. 408, 351-355.) Another was a long-lasting (L) type which shows a more positive threshold potential. The present results suggest that while T type Ca2+ channels may explain initial calcium influx in response to an elevation in extracellular K+, L type Ca2+ channels may allow sustained calcium influx which is necessary for sustained aldosterone secretion.