Short communication: effect of vitamins E and C on cortisol production by bovine adrenocortical cells in vitro

Abstract

The aim was to determine if vitamins E and C inhibit the release of cortisol from bovine adrenocortical cells when stimulated with ACTH in vitro. A factorial arrangement of treatments was used to culture bovine adrenocortical cells with different concentrations of vitamins E and C [(+)-α-tocopherol at 0, 2.3, and 16 μM and l-ascorbic acid at 0, 15, and 50 μM]. After 3 and 7 d of vitamin treatments, cell cultures were stimulated with ACTH (1 nM) for 24h and the culture medium extracted to measure cortisol released by the cells using HPLC with UV detection. Vitamin E, vitamin C, or their combination did not affect the amount of cortisol released by the adrenal cultures to the media. Cortisol released by the adrenal cultures ranged from 33.6±6.85 to 49.7±8.01 nmol per 10(7) cells. The modulation effect of vitamins E and C on the stress response does not take place at the cortex of the adrenal gland.