Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptors Flk-1 and Flt-1 during the regeneration of autotransplanted adrenal cortex in the adrenalectomized rat.
OBJECTIVE
Autotransplantation of the adrenal cortex may be a therapeutic alternative in the future. For successful adrenal transplantation revascularization is necessary. It is possible that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is a potent angiogenic peptide, may have some roles in adrenal transplantation through 2 its receptors, kinase insert domain-containing region (Flk-1) and fms-like tyrosine kinase (Flt-1). Therefore, we studied sequential changes in expression of VEGF, Flk-1 and Flt-1 in regenerated adrenal.


METHODS
Eight to 9-week-old male Wistar rats underwent bilateral adrenalectomy and immediate adrenal capsular autotransplantation. The expression of VEGF, Flk-1 and Flt-1 was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and reverse-transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
Angiogenesis was observed in the remodeling of adrenal sinusoidal endothelium during adrenal regeneration. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry showed that VEGF expression increased in grafted tissue with time after transplantation and its Flk-1 receptor, which localized to endothelial cells, increased transiently during the regeneration process. Immunostaining for Flt-1 receptor was identified in adrenocortical cells and its intensity gradually increased during adrenal regeneration.


CONCLUSIONS
During adrenal gland regeneration VEGF and its receptors Flk-1 and Flt-1 are thought to be involved in neovascularization.
Taniguchi
Akihisa
A
Department of Urology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine and Sapporo City Institute of Public Health, Sapporo, Japan. masarupo@med.hokudai.ac.jp
Tajima
Toshihiro
T
Nonomura
Katsuya
K
Shinohara
Nobuo
N
Mikami
Atsushi
A
Koyanagi
Tomohiko
T
D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000502:physiology* / Q000637:transplantation*; D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2