Effect of calcium channel blocker on steroid hormone profile of primary cultured aldosterone producing adenoma cells

Objective To explore the influence of calcium channel blocker(CCB), verapamil, on steroid hormone profile of primary cultured aldosterone producing adenoma(APA)cells. Methods The adrenal tumor tissues of 6 APA patients with hypokalemia operated in Peking Union Medical College Hospital were cultured and treated with different concentrations of verapamil. The steroid hormone profile was detected by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS). Results The level of aldosterone in 50 μmol/L verapamil group was lower than that in 10 μmol/L verapamil group and control group(P＜0.01). The levels of aldosterone precursor, 11-deoxycorticosterone in verapamil 10 μmol/L group was lower than that in control group (P＜0.05). The levels of 18-oxocortisol(18-OXOF) and 18-hydroxycortisol(18-OHF) in verapamil 50 μmol/L group and verapamil 10 μmol/L group were lower than that in the control group (P＜0.05). In addition, verapamil also had some inhibitory effects on glucocorticoids such as cortisol and cortisone, and a