Cortisol stimulates secretion of dehydroepiandrosterone in human adrenocortical cells through inhibition of 3betaHSD2.

ABSTRACT:

Context

Initiating factors leading to production of adrenal androgens are poorly defined. Cortisol is present in high concentrations within the adrenal gland, and its production rises with growth during childhood.

Objective

Our aim was to characterize the effect of cortisol and other glucocorticoids on androgen secretion from a human adrenocortical cell line and from nonadrenal cells transfected with CYP17A1 or HSD3B2.

Design/setting

This study was performed in cultured cells, at an academic medical center.

Methods

The effects of cortisol upon steroid production in human adrenal NCI-H295R cells were measured by immunoassay, tandem mass spectrometry, and thin-layer chromatography. The effects of cortisol upon the activities of 17, 20 lyase and 3βHSD2 were measur

SUBMITTER: Topor LS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3038480 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature