Measurement of steroid synthesis in zona glomerulosa cells by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry: inhibition by nitric oxide

Anal Biochem. 2005 Feb 15;337(2):203-10. doi: 10.1016/j.ab.2004.11.025.

Abstract

A liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry method was developed to simultaneously determine the concentrations of aldosterone, corticosterone, cortisol, deoxycorticosterone, pregnenolone, and progesterone in bovine adrenal zona glomerulosa (ZG) cells. Steroids were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction, separated on a reverse-phase C18 column, ionized by electrospray, and detected by single-quadrupole mass spectrometry in a positive ion mode. All steroids formed sodium adducts at high abundance. Factors affecting the formation and signal of sodium adducts were investigated. The limits of detection (S/N=3) using selected ion monitoring are 2 pg for these steroids and 10 pg for pregnenolone. DETA NONOate, a nitric oxide donor, inhibited the basal, angiotensin-II-stimulated, and 25-hydroxycholesterol-stimulated syntheses of these steroids in ZG cells in a concentration-dependent manner. The technique demonstrates the ability to determine the individual steroid in each enzymatic step of aldosterone synthesis and the activity of steroidogenic enzymes in adrenal ZG cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Angiotensin II / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Chromatography, Liquid
  • Deuterium
  • Nitric Oxide / metabolism*
  • Reference Standards
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization*
  • Steroids / biosynthesis*
  • Zona Glomerulosa / cytology
  • Zona Glomerulosa / drug effects
  • Zona Glomerulosa / metabolism*

Substances

  • Steroids
  • Angiotensin II
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Deuterium