Involvement of adenosine monophosphate activated kinase in interleukin-6 regulation of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein and cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme in the bovine zona fasciculata and zona reticularis.

In bovine adrenal zona fasciculata (ZF) and NCI-H295R cells, interleukin-6 (IL-6) increases cortisol release, increases expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc), and steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1) (increases steroidogenic proteins), and decreases the expression of adrenal hypoplasia congenita-like protein (DAX-1) (inhibits steroidogenic proteins). In contrast, IL-6 decreases bovine adrenal zona reticularis (ZR) androgen release, StAR, P450scc, and SF-1 expression, and increases DAX-1 expression. Adenosine monophosphate (AMP) activated kinase (AMPK) regulates steroidogenesis, but its role in IL-6 regulation of adrenal steroidogenesis is unknown. In the present study, an AMPK activator (AICAR) increased (P < 0.01) NCI-H295R StAR promoter activity, StAR and P450scc expression, and the phosphorylation of AMPK (PAMPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (PACC) (indexes of AMPK activity). In ZR (decreased StAR, P450scc, SF-1, increased DAX-1) (P < 0.01) and ZF tissues (increased StAR, P450scc, SF-1, decreased DAX-1) (P < 0.01), AICAR modified StAR, P450scc, SF-1 and DAX-1 mRNAs/proteins similar to the effects of IL-6. The activity (increased PAMPK and PACC) (P < 0.01) of AMPK in the ZF and ZR was increased by AICAR and IL-6. In support of an AMPK role in IL-6 ZF and ZR effects, the AMPK inhibitor compound C blocked (P < 0.01) the effects of IL-6 on the expression of StAR, P450scc, SF-1, and DAX-1. Therefore, IL-6 modification of the expression of StAR and P450scc in the ZF and ZR may involve activation of AMPK and these changes may be related to changes in the expression of SF-1 and DAX-1.