Ectopic beta-adrenergic receptors coupled to adenylate cyclase in human adrenocortical carcinomas

Abstract

The adenylate cyclase of an adrenocortical carcinoma of the rat is activated not only by ACTH but also by beta-adrenergic agonists, which bind to ectopic beta-adrenergic receptors not present in normal rat adrenal cortex. Previous reports examining possible beta-adrenergic control of adenylate cyclase in human adrenocortical carcinomas failed to demonstrate beta-adrenergic receptor-linked enzyme activity. We studied six human adrenal carcinomas and normal adrenal cortex from three subjects for beta-adrenergic agonist-sensitive adenylate cyclase and beta-adrenergic binding sites. Three of the six carcinomas had adenylate cyclase responses to both ACTH and beta-agonists. Two tumors were ACTH responsive but not beta-agonist responsive; one tumor responded to beta-agonists but not to ACTH. Adenylate cyclase activity of normal adrenal cortex from three subjects was stimulated by ACTH but not by beta-agonists. In membrane preparations from three tumors with beta-agonist-sensitive adenylate cyclase, the radiolabeled beta-adrenergic antagonist [125I]pindolol bound specifically and with high affinity (Kd = 38-83 pM) to a single class of binding sites which showed saturation with ligand concentration, reversibility of binding, pharmacological specificity, and stereospecificity. Normal cortex and one tumor without beta-adrenergic agonist-sensitive adenylate cyclase had no specific binding of [125I]pindolol. These results indicate that malignant transformation of adrenal cortex in man is frequently but not invariably associated with the appearance of ectopic beta-adrenergic receptors functionally linked to adenylate cyclase. Loss of ACTH-responsive adenylate cyclase may also occur simultaneously with the development of beta-adrenergic receptor-linked adenylate cyclase.