The present study examined the effects of steroids on steroidogenic enzyme activity in adrenal glands. Guinea-pig fasciculata-glomerulosa (FG) cells maintained in primary culture were exposed to steroids for 48 h. Although the treatment with androstenedione alone had no effect on 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 4-ene-5-ene-isomerase (3β-HSD), 17-hydroxylase and 17,20-lyase activities, there was inhibition of 11-hydroxylase and 21-hydroxylase activities. When FG cells were exposed to 10 nmol ACTH/l for the last 24 h of incubation, ACTH alone had no effect on steroidogenic enzymes but, while combined with androstenedione, it further decreased 21-hydroxylase activity and stimulated 17-hydroxylase and 17,20-lyase activities. Cortisol, corticosterone, oestradiol and 11β-hydroxy androstenedione had no effect on steroidogenic enzyme activities while the inhibitory effect on 21-hydroxylase activity was only observed with androstenedione, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. Addition of hydroxyflutamide, a pure antiandrogen, did not block the inhibitory effect of androstenedione on 21-hydroxylase and 11-hydroxylase activities. The reduction in oxygen tension from 19 to 2% which was aimed at examining the oxygen-mediated effects on steroidogenic enzymes, revealed that the reduction in 21-hydroxylase activity induced by androstenedione could not be prevented by low oxygen tension. An interaction of C19 steroids at the level of the enzymes is also suggested by our finding that androstenedione had no effect on basal and ACTH-stimulated steady-state 11-hydroxylase, 17-hydroxylase, 17,20-lyase and 21-hydroxylase mRNA levels. These results indicate that C19 steroids alter the adrenal steroidogenic enzyme activities in such a manner that C19 steroid synthesis is increased while glucocorticoid production is inhibited. The mechanism of action of C19 steroids does not involve gene expression for steroidogenic enzymes but probably a direct interaction with steroidogenic enzymes, namely 21-hydroxylase, 17-hydroxylase and 17,20-lyase. Our data suggest that C19 steroids may reduce the amount of 21-hydroxylase in the microsomal fraction which may have a major impact on the levels of microsomal P450 reductase available for 17-hydroxylase and 17,20-lyase activities.
Journal of Endocrinology (1992) 132, 269–276
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