Cigarette smoke decreases mitochondrial porin expression and steroidogenesis
- Department of Physiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610 (United States)
- Department of Chemistry, Mass Spectrometry Facility, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2G2 (Canada)
- Graduate Center for Toxicology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States)
Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) facilitates the movement of cholesterol from the outer to inner mitochondrial membrane for steroidogenesis. Here, we investigated the effect of cigarette smoke (CS) on steroidogenesis using adrenal mitochondria isolated from mice chronically exposed to CS. Steroidogenesis was decreased approximately 78% in CS-exposed mitochondria, as measured by synthesis of the steroid hormone precursor pregnenolone. This effect was accompanied by decreased mitochondrial import of {sup 35}S-StAR. Further characterization of the imported {sup 35}S-StAR by native gradient PAGE revealed the presence of a high molecular weight complex in both control and CS-exposed groups. Following density gradient fractionation of {sup 35}S-StAR that had been extracted from control mitochondria, precursor StAR could be found in fractions 2-6 and smaller-sized StAR complexes in fractions 6-13. In the CS-exposed group, the appearance of precursor shifted from fraction 1-6 and the smaller complexes in fractions 6-9 disappeared. Mass spectrometric analysis revealed that the {sup 35}S-StAR-associated protein complex was composed of several resident matrix proteins as well as the OMM resident, VDAC. VDAC expression was greatly reduced by CS, and blockage of VDAC with Koenig's polyanion decreased pregnenolone synthesis in isolated mitochondria. Taken together, these results suggest that VDAC may participate in steroidogenesis by promoting StAR interaction with the OMM and that CS may inhibit steroidogenesis by reducing VDAC-StAR interactions.
- OSTI ID:
- 21077943
- Journal Information:
- Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, Vol. 227, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2007.10.021; PII: S0041-008X(07)00481-4; Copyright (c) 2007 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0041-008X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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