2. Academic Validation
  3. Bone Morphogenetic Protein-4 (BMP4): A Paracrine Regulator of Human Adrenal C19 Steroid Synthesis

Bone Morphogenetic Protein-4 (BMP4): A Paracrine Regulator of Human Adrenal C19 Steroid Synthesis

  • Endocrinology. 2015 Jul;156(7):2530-40. doi: 10.1210/en.2014-1942.
Juilee Rege 1,  Hiromi Koso Nishimoto 1,  Koshiro Nishimoto 1,  Raymond J Rodgers 1,  Richard J Auchus 1,  William E Rainey 1
Affiliations

Affiliation

  • 1 Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology (J.R., H.K.N., K.N., W.E.R.), and Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan (R.J.A.), Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-5622; and School of Pediatrics and Reproductive Health (R.J.R.), Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia.
PMID: 25868050 DOI: 10.1210/en.2014-1942
Abstract

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) comprise one of the largest subgroups in the TGF-β ligand superfamily. We have identified a functional BMP system equipped with the ligand (BMP4), receptors (BMP type II receptor, BMP type IA receptor, also called ALK3) and the signaling proteins, namely the mothers against decapentaplegic homologs 1, 4, and 5 in the human adrenal gland and the human adrenocortical cell line H295R. Microarray, quantitative RT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry confirmed that BMP4 expression was highest in the adrenal zona glomerulosa followed by the zona fasciculata and zona reticularis. Treatment of H295R cells with BMP4 caused phosphorylation of the mothers against decapentaplegic and a profound decrease in synthesis of the C19 Steroids dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), DHEA sulfate, and androstenedione. Administration of BMP4 to cultures of H295R cells also caused a profound decrease in the mRNA and protein levels of 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase (CYP17A1 and P450c17, respectively) but no significant effect on the mRNA levels of Cholesterol side-chain cleavage Cytochrome P450 (CYP11A1) or type 2 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD3B2). Furthermore, Noggin (a BMP inhibitor) was able to reverse the negative effects of BMP4 with respect to both CYP17A1 transcription and DHEA secretion in the H295R cell line. Collectively the present data suggest that BMP4 is an autocrine/paracrine negative regulator of C19 steroid synthesis in the human adrenal and works by suppressing P450c17.

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