Mitochondrial processing of newly synthesized steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), but not total StAR, mediates cholesterol transfer to cytochrome P450 side chain cleavage enzyme in adrenal cells.

The metabolism of cholesterol by cytochrome P450 side chain cleavage enzyme is hormonally regulated in steroidogenic tissues via intramitochondrial cholesterol transport. The mediating steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) is synthesized as a 37-kDa (p37) precursor that is phosphorylated by protein kinase A and cleaved within the mitochondria to generate 30-kDa forms (p30, pp30). The effectiveness of modified recombinant StAR forms in COS-1 cells without mitochondrial import has led to a prevailing view that cholesterol transport is mediated by p37 StAR via activity on the outer mitochondrial membrane. The present study of the activation of cholesterol metabolism by bromo-cAMP in adrenal cells in relation to S-35-StAR turnover indicates that targeting of pp30 to the inner membrane provides the dominant cholesterol transport mechanism. We show that 1) only newly synthesized StAR is functional, 2) phosphorylation and processing of p37 to pp30 occurs rapidly and stoichiometrically, 3) both steps are necessary for optimum transport, and 4) newly synthesized pp30 exhibits very high activity (400 molecules of cholesterol/StAR/min). Segregation of cAMP activation and synthesis of StAR from cholesterol metabolism showed that very low levels of newly synthesized StAR (1 fmol/min/10(6) cells) sustained activated cholesterol metabolism (0.4 pmol/min/10(6) cells, t(1/2) = 70 min) long after complete removal of p37 (t(1/2) = 5 min). This activity was highly sensitive to inhibition of processing by CCCP only until sufficient pp30 was formed. Maximum activation preceded bromo-cAMP-induced StAR expression, indicating other limiting steps in cholesterol metabolism.