Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) are pluripotent growth factors that stimulate both the proliferation and steroidogenesis of adrenocortical cells. Here we demonstrate that EGF and bFGF specifically induce mRNA of 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type II (3betaHSD II) and suppress that of 17alpha-hydroxylase/lyase P450 (CYP17) in human adrenocortical H295R cells. The induction of 3betaHSD II mRNA did not occur until 6 h after the growth factor treatment and was completely abolished in the presence of a protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide (CHX), suggesting that the induction required de novo protein synthesis. The CYP17 mRNA suppression began at almost the same time as the induction of the 3betaHSD II mRNA. Interestingly, the CYP17 mRNA level was increased by the CHX treatment. Both the 3betaHSD II and CYP17 mRNAs were repressed by treatment with a calmodulin kinase II (CaMK II) inhibitor, KN-93, and were enhanced by a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor, PD98059. The PD98059-mediated induction of the 3betaHSD II mRNA was completely blocked by the CHX treatment. Interestingly, treatment with EGF in the presence of both PD98059 and CHX produced a greater increase in the CYP17 mRNA than did treatment in the presence of PD98059 alone. These results suggest that CHX-sensitive factor(s) and CaMK II- and MAPK-signaling pathways may have important roles in both induction of 3betaHSD II and suppression of CYP17 by EGF or bFGF in H295R cells.

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