O. I. Kovzun, N. N. Kostuchenko, V. M. Pushkariov, O. S. Lukashenia, А. S. Mikosha

SI  V. P. Komisarenko Institute of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv;
e-mail: kovzun@newmail.ru

The effect of different potassium concentrations on changes in steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and cytochrome P-450_scc in human adrenal cortex tissue was studied. A rise in K⁺ concentration in incubation medium to 8.5 mM caused an increase in StAR and cytochrome P 450_scc mRNA level in adrenocorticocytes by 70 and 76%, respectively, compared with control.  Thus, potassium ions caused an enhancement of minerocorticoid synthesis in the adrenal cortex, which is associated with mechanisms that regulate the intensity of expression of StAR and cytochrome P-450_scc on a transcriptional level.