title: Aldosterone biosynthesis in extraadrenal tissues.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether extraadrenal tissues synthesize aldosterone in addition to vascular tissue and brain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ex vivo kidney perfusion was performed in normal Wistar rats, ACEI pretreated and adrenalectomized rats prior to the perfusion experiment. After equilibration for 30 minutes, 120 ml of perfusate was collected and subjected to reverse-phase HPLC and then aldosterone was measured by RIA. By RT-PCR and Southern blot the expression of aldosterone synthase gene-CYP11B2 mRNA was studied in both kidney tissue and cultured renal tubular epithelial cell, lung and liver tissues. In situ hybridization was used to identify the cell types of liver and lung expressing CYP11B2 mRNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Production of aldosterone in the kidney perfusate was not changed in adrenalectomized rats although it was decreased in the group pretreated with ACEI perindopril. By RT-PCR and Southern blot the expression of CYP11B2 mRNA was demonstrated in both kidney tissue and cultured renal tubular epithelial cell. We have also identified CYP11B2 mRNA expression in liver and lung of rats. In situ hybridization showed that CYP11B2 mRNA was localized in the endoplasm of liver fat-storing cell (Ito cells) and type II alveolar cells of lung.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These studies prove that kidney, liver and lung are able to produce aldosterone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Nanfang Hospital, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zang
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000450:Aldosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000818:Animals; D019405:Cytochrome P-450 CYP11B2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000450:Aldosterone; D019405:Cytochrome P-450 CYP11B2