OBJECTIVES:
Transcription Factor 21 represses
steroidogenic factor 1, a
nuclear receptor required for gonadal
development, sex determination and the
regulation of adrenogonadal steroidogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate whether silencing or overexpression of the
gene Transcription Factor 21 could modulate the
gene and
protein expression of
steroidogenic factor 1 in adrenocortical
tumors.
METHODS:
We analyzed the
gene expression of
steroidogenic factor 1 using qPCR after silencing endogenous
Transcription Factor 21 in pediatric adrenal
adenoma-T7
cells through
small interfering RNA. In addition, using overexpression of
Transcription Factor 21 in
human adrenocortical carcinoma cells, we analyzed the
protein expression of
steroidogenic factor 1 using
Western blotting.
RESULTS:
Transcription Factor 21 knockdown increased the
mRNA expression of
steroidogenic factor 1 by 5.97-fold in pediatric adrenal
adenoma-T7
cells. Additionally,
Transcription Factor 21 overexpression inhibited the
protein expression of
steroidogenic factor 1 by 0.41-fold and 0.64-fold in two different
adult adrenocortical carcinoma cell cultures, H295R and T36, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS:
Transcription Factor 21 is downregulated in
adrenocortical carcinoma cells. Taken together, these findings support the hypothesis that
Transcription Factor 21 is a regulator of
steroidogenic factor 1 and is a
tumor suppressor gene in pediatric and
adult adrenocortical
tumors.