Effect of estrogen on dehydroepiandrosterone formation by baboon fetal adrenal cells in vitro

The present study determined if estrogen modulates the responsivity of the adrenal gland of the baboon fetus to tropic hormones such as adrenocorticotropic hormone and prolactin. Adrenal glands were obtained from seven baboon fetuses at midgestation (days 100 to 105). Adrenal cells were dispersed in medium 199 with 0.2% collagenase for 10 minutes at 37 degrees C. Approximately 10(5) cells/4.0 ml of medium 199 were incubated for 24 hours at 37 degrees C with 10 nmol of adrenocorticotropic hormone or 10 nmol of ovine prolactin in the presence or absence of 10(-5) or 10(-6) mol/L of estradiol. The major steroid formed and secreted into the medium was dehydroepiandrosterone. Mean +/- standard error basal formation of dehydroepiandrosterone was 176 +/- 64 ng/10(5) cells/24 hours. Dehydroepiandrosterone formation was increased (p less than 0.05) 3.5-fold and five-fold by adrenocorticotropic hormone and prolactin, respectively. Estradiol at 10(-5) mol/L prevented the response in dehydroepiandrosterone obtained with adrenocorticotropic hormone alone. Estradiol alone had no effect on dehydroepiandrosterone. The results suggest that estrogen modulates the regulatory effects of adrenocorticotropic hormone on dehydroepiandrosterone formation by the adrenal gland of the baboon fetus.