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We have recently identified a novel transcript of the CTLA-4 gene that may represent a native soluble form of CTLA-4 (sCTLA-4). To determine whether sCTLA-4 was expressed in humans, we applied a sensitive enzyme immunoassay on serum from patients with autoimmune thyroid disease (ATD). Eleven of 20 patients with ATD had circulating levels of sCTLA-4 ranging from 28 to 78 ng/ml, whereas only 1 of 30 apparently healthy volunteers had a level greater than 4 ng/ml. sCTLA-4 immunoreactivity was inhibited by its binding to B7.1, suggesting that sCTLA-4 is a functional receptor. Immunoprecipitation analysis of serum from patients with ATD revealed a polypeptide consistent with the predicted size of sCTLA-4. We conclude that a native soluble form of CTLA-4 is derived from an alternate transcript of the CTLA-4 gene, and its level in plasma is elevated among a population of patients with ATD.

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The adrenocortical response to hypoxia may be a critical component of the adaptation to this common neonatal stress. Little is known about adrenal function in vivo in hypoxic neonates. The purpose of this study was to evaluate adrenocortical responses to ACTH in suckling rat pups exposed to hypoxia from birth to 5-7 days of age compared with normoxic controls. We also evaluated potential cellular controllers of steroidogenic function in situ. In 7-day-old pups at 0800, hypoxia from birth resulted in increased basal (12.2 Ϯ 1.4 ng/ml; n ϭ 12) and ACTHstimulated (94.0 Ϯ 9.4 ng/ml; n ϭ 14) corticosterone levels compared with normoxic controls (basal ϭ 8.3 Ϯ 0.5 ng/ml; n ϭ 11; stimulated ϭ 51.3 Ϯ 3.8 ng/ml; n ϭ 8). This augmentation occurred despite no significant difference in plasma ACTH levels in normoxic vs. hypoxic pups before (85 Ϯ 4 vs. 78 Ϯ 8 pg/ml) or after (481 Ϯ 73 vs. 498 Ϯ 52 pg/ml) porcine ACTH injection (20 g/kg). This effect was similar in the afternoon at 6 days of age and even greater at 5 days of age at 0800. The aldosterone response to ACTH was not augmented by exposure to hypoxia from birth. Adrenocortical hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1␣ mRNA was undetectable by RT-PCR. Steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein in adrenal subcapsules (zona fasciculata/reticularis) was augmented by exposure to hypoxia; this effect was greatest at 5 days of age. Peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) protein was also increased at 6 and 7 days of age in pups exposed to hypoxia from birth. We conclude that hypoxia from birth results in an augmentation of the corticosterone but not aldosterone response to ACTH. This effect appears to be mediated at least in part by an increase in controllers of mitochondrial cholesterol transport (StAR and PBR) and to occur independently of measurable changes in endogenous plasma ACTH. The augmentation of the corticosterone response to acute increases in ACTH in hypoxic pups is likely to be an important component of the overall physiological adaptation to hypoxia in the neonate. adrenocorticotropin; aldosterone; newborn; steroidogenic acute regulatory protein; peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor; hypoxia-inducible factor HYPOXIA is one of the most common causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality (10, 17). Considerable attention has been paid to the short-and long-term neurological, cardiopulmonary, and renal consequences of neonatal hypoxia (3,8,14,34,36). In comparison, the adrenal adaptation in vivo to prolonged neonatal hypoxia has not been extensively studied. One pertinent study in human infants with hypoxemia due to bronchiolitis demonstrated an augmented cortisol, but not aldosterone, response to ACTH (12). This suggests a zone-specific adrenal adaptation to hypoxia.We have extensively examined dispersed adrenal cells in vitro removed from suckling rats exposed to hypoxia from birth (28). We have found that, as opposed to adult rats (29), steroidogenesis in vitro is augmented in adrenal cells from hypoxic neonatal rats despite no changes in steroidogenic enzy...