Estradiol stimulates cortisol production by adrenal cells in estrogen-dependent primary adrenocortical nodular dysplasia.
Adrenal glands from a patient with ACTH-independent Cushing's syndrome, whose symptoms worsened during pregnancy and oral contraceptive use, were cultured in different concentrations of estradiol. Estradiol stimulated cortisol secretion in a dose-response manner in the absence of ACTH. Since immunoglobulins G from this patient did not stimulate corticosterone production in a mouse adrenal bioassay, an adrenal-stimulating immunoglobulin is unlikely to be the cause of adrenal hyperfunction in this case. This is the first description of estradiol stimulation of cortisol production by cultured adrenal cells in ACTH-independent Cushing's syndrome.
Caticha
O
O
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City 84132.
Odell
W D
WD
Wilson
D E
DE
Dowdell
L A
LA
Noth
R H
RH
Swislocki
A L
AL
Lamothe
J J
JJ
Barrow
R
R
D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000378:metabolism*
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D004958:Estradiol; D003345:Corticosterone; D006854:Hydrocortisone