Transcriptional suppression of the adrenal cortical peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor gene and inhibition of steroid synthesis by ginkgolide B
Treatment of rats and adrenocortical cells with ginkgolide B (GKB), a purified component of Ginkgo biloba leaf extracts, reduces the mRNA, protein, and ligand-binding levels of the adrenal peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (PBR), a mitochondrial cholesterol-binding protein, leading to decrease...
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Published in | Biochemical pharmacology Vol. 65; no. 5; pp. 717 - 729 |
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Main Authors | , , |
Format | Journal Article Conference Proceeding |
Language | English |
Published |
New York, NY
Elsevier Inc
01.03.2003
Elsevier Science |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Treatment of rats and adrenocortical cells with ginkgolide B (GKB), a purified component of
Ginkgo biloba leaf extracts, reduces the mRNA, protein, and ligand-binding levels of the adrenal peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (PBR), a mitochondrial cholesterol-binding protein, leading to decreased corticosteroid synthesis. In the Y1 adrenocortical cell line, GKB reduced both PBR levels and cyclic AMP-induced steroid formation. In these cells, GKB, but not various steroids and vitamins, reduced the expression of a reporter gene driven by the DNA sequence −624/−513 relative to the transcription start site of the
PBR encoding gene. GKB treatment did not affect the
SV40 promoter and increased the cytochrome P450 17α-hydroxylase gene promoter driven expression of the reporter gene. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) indicated the presence of a functional transcriptional element bound to the −624/−513 DNA fragment. This GKB-induced inhibition of PBR was mediated by an interaction with a transcription factor that binds to the −636/−616
PBR-promoter region. Deletion or mutation of this sequence eliminated the DNA–protein interaction and the inhibitory effect of GKB on
PBR gene transcription. This DNA-binding protein could be detected in nuclear extracts of rat brain, liver, and testis, but not kidney. It is also present in the human adrenal glands. However, the inhibitory effect following GKB treatment could be seen only in the adrenal glands. These results demonstrate that the GKB-activated inhibition of glucocorticoid production is due to a specific transcriptional suppression of the adrenal
PBR gene and suggest that GKB might serve as a pharmacological tool to control excess glucocorticoid formation. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 0006-2952 1873-2968 |
DOI: | 10.1016/S0006-2952(02)01603-9 |