The role of ascorbic acid in the function of the adrenal cortex: studies in adrenocortical cells in culture.
Endocrinology
; 117(3): 1264-71, 1985 Sep.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-2990871
ABSTRACT
To investigate the role of ascorbic acid in the function of the adrenal cortex, we studied the effects of ascorbate on the regulation of 11 beta-hydroxylase in culture. When primary bovine adrenocortical cells were cultured in a serum-free defined medium in the absence of ACTH, 11 beta-hydroxylase activity declined with a half-time of about 40 h. When 50 microM cortisol, which acts as a pseudosubstrate for 11 beta-hydroxylase, was added to such cultures, 11 beta-hydroxylase activity declined with a half-time of about 6 h. Ascorbate (5 mM) markedly reduced the rate of loss of 11 beta-hydroxylase activity in the presence of cortisol. Previous studies showed that phenolic and sulfoxide antioxidants, which also prevent loss of 11 beta-hydroxylase activity, inhibited the enzyme at concentrations somewhat higher than those required for protective activity. However, ascorbate at concentrations from 10 microM to 5 mM did not inhibit 11 beta-hydroxylase. The same range of ascorbate concentrations added to cells during a 24-h preincubation with cortisol showed increasing prevention of loss of 11 beta-hydroxylase activity. Ascorbate and a lowered concentration of oxygen were synergistic in their protective action. At 2% oxygen, 5 mM ascorbate almost completely prevented loss of 11 beta-hydroxylase activity in the presence of 50 microM cortisol. 11 beta-Hydroxylase activity was reinduced over a period of 5 days in third passage cultures by addition of 1 microM ACTH in defined lipoprotein-free medium. Addition of ascorbate enhanced the reinduction about 2-fold. The action of ascorbate in prevention of pseudosubstrate-mediated loss of activity and in enhancing reinduction of 11 beta-hydroxylase is specific; neither alpha-tocopherol nor selenium prevented loss of 11 beta-hydroxylase in the presence of cortisol or enhanced reinduction of 11 beta-hydroxylase in the presence of ACTH. As an additional test of specificity, it was shown that reinduction of 17-hydroxylase activity was completely unaffected by ascorbate, selenium, or alpha-tocopherol, and addition of cortisol to cultures with high 17-hydroxylase did not result in any loss of enzyme activity. Thus, a major function of ascorbate in the adrenal cortex is as a protective compound for cytochrome.
Buscar en Google
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Ácido Ascórbico
/
Corteza Suprarrenal
Límite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Endocrinology
Año:
1985
Tipo del documento:
Article