The expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) in bovine adrenocortical cells

Moira R Nicol, Hui Wang, Richard J Ivell, SD Morley, SW Walker, JI Mason

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

StAR protein may facilitate rapid transfer of cholesterol from the outer to the inner mitochondrial membrane, the site at which cholesterol is converted to pregnenolone by the cholesterol side chain cleavage complex. We have studied the effect of ACTH treatment on StAR mRNA and protein levels in bovine adrenocortical cells in primary culture. Cells were initially cultured for 3 days after isolation, and then treated with ACTH (10(-8) M) for various times up to 24 hours. Northern analysis of total BAC mRNA, using a [alpha(32)P]-labelled cDNA probe encoding a 5' region of bovine StAR mRNA, revealed two principal hybridising species of 1.6 and 3.0 kb. Western immunoblot analysis revealed a principal band at 30 kDa. Levels of both StAR mRNA and protein showed an increase at 1 hour, reached a maximum at around 6 hours and declined to basal levels at 24 hours. Cortisol secretion (measured by RIA) showed a similar change over the same period. From these results it appears that StAR mRNA and protein levels in BAC are acutely regulated in concert with ACTH-stimulated cortisol secretion.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)565-569
Number of pages5
JournalEndocrine research
Volume24
Issue number3-4
Publication statusPublished - 1998
Event8th Conference on the Adrenal Cortex - ORFORD, Canada
Duration: 13 Jun 199816 Jun 1998

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • ADRENAL-CORTEX
  • HORMONE

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