Novel cAMP regulatory elements in the promoter region of bovine P-450(11 beta) gene

In order to elucidate the cAMP regulatory elements in the promoter region of bovine P-450(11 beta) genes, we analyzed the promoter region using chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene as the reporter. Various deletion plasmids were constructed using the promoter region of CB11 beta-7, which is one of the two normal genes. Examination of the effects of Bt2cAMP on the CAT activities of mouse adrenal tumor cells (Y-1 cells) transfected with these deletion plasmids suggested that two elements named Ad3 and Ad4 play major roles in the induction by cAMP. Ad3(AAGATAAGGCACCCATCCATCTT) is located at -306 bp to -284 bp and Ad4 (CCAAGGTC) is located at -331 bp to -324 bp in the promoter region of the P-450(11 beta) gene. Deletions of both Ad3 and Ad4 resulted in a large decrease of the induction ratio from 9- to 3-fold. Coexistence of Ad3 and Ad4 is essential for their function, because any mutations introduced into either one of them resulted in a decrease of the cAMP induction ratio. These two elements are highly conserved among bovine, mouse, and human P-450(11 beta) genes and have no similarity with known cAMP regulatory elements. DNase I footprint analysis indicated that factors which specifically bind to the two elements exist in the nuclear extract of bovine adrenal cortex cells. Ad3 and Ad4 showed different patterns in gel shift analysis using probes which contained Ad3 or Ad4 sequence, suggesting their interaction with different nuclear factors. We also found two other protected regions by DNase I footprint analysis of the promoter regions of P-450(11 beta) gene, and named them Ad5 and Ad6.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Characterization of a mitochondrial matrix protease catalyzing the processing of adrenodoxin precursor

Adrenodoxin (Ad) is synthesized as a larger precursor (preAd) by cytoplasmic polysomes and then transported into mitochondria concomitant with its proteolytic processing to the mature form. The protease in bovine adrenal cortex mitochondria, which converts preAd to the mature form, is a metalloprotease in the matrix (Sagara, Y., Ito, A. & Omura, T. (1984) J. Biochem. 96, 1743-1752). In this study, the protease was purified about 100-fold from the matrix fraction of bovine adrenal cortex mitochondria. The partially purified protease converted not only preAd, but also the precursors of malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and 27 kDa protein (P-27) to the corresponding mature forms. However, it was inactive toward the precursors of P-450(SCC) and of P-450(11 beta). Since isolated rat liver mitochondria can import and process preAd as efficiently as bovine adrenal cortex mitochondria, we partially purified a preAd-processing protease from rat liver mitochondria and compared its properties with those of the bovine adrenal cortex enzyme. The properties of the rat liver protease were indistinguishable from those of the bovine adrenal cortex enzyme in molecular weight determined from Sephadex G-150 gel filtration, metal requirement and ability to process preMDH and preP-27. The rat liver enzyme was also inactive toward the precursors of P-450(SCC) and P-450(11 beta). These results indicate the presence in both adrenal cortex and liver mitochondria of the same type of processing protease, which processes preAd and also the precursors of some other mitochondrial proteins.     

Structural analysis of multiple bovine P-450(11 beta) genes and their promoter activities

A bovine genomic library was constructed using a cosmid vector, pHC79, and bovine DNA partially digested by EcoRI. Bovine P-450(11 beta) cDNA, pcP-450(11 beta)-2 [Morohashi et al. (1987) J. Biochem. 102,559-568], was used as a probe for screening the genomic library. Ten clones carrying P-450(11 beta) genomic DNA were isolated from 8 x 10(4) colonies and classified into five groups (CB11 beta-1, CB11 beta-3, CB11 beta-7, CB11 beta-20, and CB11 beta-21) according to differences in the restriction endonuclease sites. Nucleotide sequences of amino acid coding regions of the five clones were determined by the dideoxy sequencing method using synthetic nucleotides corresponding to various parts of the cDNA as primers. The nucleotide sequences revealed that three clones, CB11 beta-1, CB11 beta-3, and CB11 beta-21, were pseudogenes. Amino acid sequences coded by the other two clones, CB11 beta-7 and CB11 beta-20, were identical with that coded by a previously described cDNA, pcP-450(11 beta)-3 [Kirita et al. (1988) J. Biochem. 104, 683-686]. The promoter regions of the five clones were introduced in front of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene of pSV00CAT and used to examine P-450(11 beta) gene regulation in cultured cells. The five recombinant plasmids showed cAMP-responsive CAT activities in Y-1 cells, a cell strain derived from adrenal tumor. The induction rates of the recombinant plasmids carrying the promoters of normal genes, CB11 beta-7 and -20, were larger than those of pseudogenes, CB11 beta-1, -3, and -21. CAT activities expressed by the promoter regions of the normal genes in the presence or absence of cAMP in Y-1 cells were almost equal to that by the promoter region of human P-450(SCC) gene. Though the promoter of the P-450(SCC) gene also showed cAMP-responsive CAT activity in I-10 cells, a cell strain derived from Leyding cell tumor, P-450(11 beta) gene promoter did not express the activity in I-10 cells.     

Expression of two kinds of cytochrome P-450(11 beta) mRNA in bovine adrenal cortex

Using pcP-450(11 beta)-2 cDNA (Morohashi et al. (1987) J. Biochem. 102, 559-568) as the probe, a different cDNA clone, pcP-450(11 beta)-3, was isolated from a cDNA library of bovine adrenal cortex. The restriction enzyme map of pcP-450(11 beta)-3 was highly homologous but not identical with that of pcP-450(11 beta)-2. Nucleotide sequence determination revealed the substitutions of 14 nucleotides and 3 amino acids between pcP-450(11 beta)-2 and -3. Blotting analysis involving two different oligonucleotide probes specific to these two cDNAs indicated that at least two kinds of P-450(11 beta) mRNA were expressed in individual animals and that at least two kinds of P-450(11 beta) genes exist in the bovine genome.     

P-450(11beta)-dependent conversion of androgen to estrogen, the aromatase reaction

Purified bovine adrenal P-450(11)beta has been shown to act as an aromatase which catalyzes conversion of 19-oxoandrostenedione to estrone. No conversions took place when any one of the required components such as NADPH, NADPH:adrenodoxin reductase, adrenodoxin and P-450(11)beta was omitted from the complete reconstituted system. P-450scc, another mitochondrial P-450 obtained from adrenal cortex, did not substitute for the P-450(11)beta in the aromatase reaction. These results show that P-450(11)beta is able to catalyze a series of reaction which can generate adrenal estrogen through androstenedione and its 19-hydroxy- and 19-oxo-derivatives. The P-450(11)beta-dependent reaction appears to be quite different from the placental aromatase reaction in that the latter is catalyzed by a microsomal P-450.     

Contributions of cytoplasmic free and membrane-bound ribosomes to the synthesis of mitochondrial cytochrome P-450(SCC) and P-450(11 beta) and microsomal cytochrome P-450(C-21) in bovine adrenal cortex

Rabbit antibodies against cytochrome P-450 (SCC), P-450 (11 beta), and P-450 (C-21) from bovine adrenal cortex were prepared, and it was confirmed that these three cytochrome P-450 species are immunologically distinct from one another. Cytoplasmic sites of synthesis of P-450 (SCC), P-450 (11 beta), and P-450 (C-21) in bovine adrenal cortex were determined by examining the presence of their nascent peptides on isolated free and bound ribosomes. Nascent peptides were released in vitro from ribosomes by [3H]puromycin in a high salt buffer in the presence of a detergent, and the nascent peptides of P-450 (SCC), P-450 (11 beta), and P-450 (C-21) were isolated by immunoprecipitation. The nascent peptides of these three cytochrome P-450 species were found in both free and bound ribosomal fractions, suggesting that they share common sites of synthesis in the cytoplasm. However, the nascent peptides of mitochondrial P-450 (SCC) and P-450 (11 beta) were more concentrated in the free ribosomal fraction, whereas those of microsomal P-450 (C-21) were more abundant in the bound ribosomal fraction. The nascent peptides of the three cytochrome P-450 species were released from the membrane-bound ribosomes of rough microsomes into the cytoplasmic surface of microsomal vesicles by puromycin treatment.     

Import and processing of the precursor of cytochrome P-450(SCC) by bovine adrenal cortex mitochondria

Isolated bovine adrenal cortex mitochondria imported in vitro synthesized pre-P-450(SCC) and processed it to the mature form. Partial radio-sequencing of the processed P-450(SCC) gave a result identical with that for authentic P-450(SCC). Rat liver mitochondria also imported pre-P-450(SCC) and processed it to the mature form, whereas bovine heart mitochondria were unable to import and process pre-P-450(SCC) although both mitochondrial preparations imported and processed pre-adrenodoxin. The pre-P-450(SCC) processing activity of bovine adrenal cortex mitochondria was associated with the matrix side surface of the inner membrane. The processing protease could be solubilized by sodium cholate and partially purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation. The partially purified processing protease cleaved pre-P-450(SCC) at the correct position. It was also active in processing pre-P-450(11 beta) but inactive toward pre-adrenodoxin. Bovine heart mitochondria lacked the processing activity to pre-P-450(SCC). The localization of pre-P-450(SCC) and mature P-450(SCC) in bovine adrenal cortex mitochondria was examined. Mature P-450(SCC) processed by the mitochondria was found associated with the matrix-side surface of the inner membrane, which is the correct location of P-450(SCC) in the cell. In the presence of o-phenanthroline, pre-P-450(SCC) was imported into the organelles without being processed and remained soluble in the matrix. The incorporation of newly processed mature P-450(SCC) into the inner membrane was also observed when pre-P-450(SCC) was incubated with inner membrane vesicles. Mature P-450(SCC) generated in vitro from pre-P-450(SCC) by the partially purified processing protease was incorporated not only into the inner membrane vesicles but also into bovine adrenal cortex microsomes. These findings suggested that the processing of pre-P-450(SCC) occurred prior to the incorporation of mature-P-450(SCC) into the inner membrane.     

Aldosterone synthase cytochrome P-450 expressed in the adrenals of patients with primary aldosteronism

A human cytochrome P-450 with aldosterone synthase activity was purified from the mitochondria of an aldosterone-producing adenoma. It was recognized by an anti-bovine cytochrome P-450(11 beta) IgG and by a specific antibody raised against a portion of the CYP11B2 gene product, one of the two putative proteins encoded by human cytochrome P-450(11 beta)-related genes (Mornet, E., Dupont, J., Vitek, A., and White, P. C. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 20961-20967). A similar and probably the same aldosterone synthase cytochrome P-450 was detected in the adrenal of a patient with idiopathic hyperaldosteronism. These aldosterone synthases were distinguishable from cytochrome P-450(11 beta), the product of another cytochrome P-450(11 beta)-related gene, i.e. CYP11B1, by their catalytic, molecular, and immunological properties and also by their localization. The latter enzyme was unable to produce aldosterone and did not react with the specific antibody against the CYP11B2 gene product. It was present both in tumor and non-tumor portions of the adrenals carrying the adenoma and in normal adrenal cortex. On the other hand, aldosterone synthase cytochrome P-450 localized in the tumor portions of the adrenals or in the adrenal of a patient with idiopathic hyperaldosteronism. Thus aldosterone synthase cytochrome P-450, a distinct species from cytochrome P-450(11 beta), is responsible for the biosynthesis of aldosterone in the human, at least in patients suffering from primary aldosteronism.     

The relationship between NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation and degradation of cytochrome P-450 in adrenal cortex mitochondria

The relationship between NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation and the degradation of cytochrome P-450 has been studied in bovine adrenal cortex mitochondria. Malondialdehyde formation is accompanied by a corresponding decrease in total cytochrome P-450 content. Inhibitors of lipid peroxidation also prevent the loss of cytochrome P-450, further demonstrating a direct relationship between NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation and degradation of P-450. To differentiate between cytochrome P-450(11)beta and P-450scc, steroid-induced difference spectra were used to evaluate P-450 degradation. These measurements provide the first evidence that both P-450's are degraded during NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation with P-450(11)beta being much more susceptible to this process.