title: Expression of p21(WAF1/CIP1/SDI1) and p53 in apoptotic cells in the adrenal cortex and induction by ischemia/reperfusion injury.
abstract: p21(WAF1/CIP1/SDI1), an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases, is expressed at varying levels in human adrenal glands removed during surgery or organ recovery. In glands with p21 mRNA, nuclear p21 immunoreactivity, which was occasionally extensive, colocalized with p53 immunoreactivity and DNA damage, as evidenced by in situ end-labeling. Many cells showed morphological features of apoptosis when observed by fluorescent DNA dye staining and electron microscopy. This pattern was also associated with high levels of cytoplasmic heat shock protein 70. To address the question of the origin of p21 expression in some human adrenal glands, rat adrenal glands were subjected to 30 min of ischemia followed by 8 h of reperfusion. Cells with nuclear p21 and p53 appeared in the adrenal cortex together with DNA damage detected by in situ end-labeling. Nuclear p21 immunoreactivity was also produced in adrenal tissue fragments incubated at 37 degrees C in vitro. However, in this case, p21 expression was confined to the cut edge of the tissue. In contrast, p21 in human adrenal glands, as in ischemic rat glands, was within the inner regions of the cortex, supporting an origin of the protein in vivo rather than postmortem. The p53/p21 pathway of reaction to cellular injury, potentially leading to apoptosis, may play a role in tissue damage such as that resulting from ischemia/reperfusion. In the human adrenal cortex this process may be a precursor of adrenal failure.
authors.affiliation: Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA.
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Didenko
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Hornsby
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000293:injuries* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004249:DNA Damage; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D016158:Genes, p53; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; C493958:Cdkn1a protein, rat; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53