title: Corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor expression on normal and tumorous human adrenocortical cells.
abstract: Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is not only the principal regulator of the central hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis but also exerts direct actions on peripheral tissues. We analyzed the expression of CRH receptors in microdissected preparations of normal human adrenal glands and in adrenocortical and adrenomedullary tumors, employing immunohistochemistry, quantitative RT-PCR of microdissected adrenal tissues, and in situ hybridization. The effect of CRH on adrenal steroidogenesis was tested in adrenal cells. Immunoreactive CRH1R was found primarily within the zona reticularis. In addition, we found a higher expression of CRH type-1 and 2 receptors mRNAs in preparations of adrenal cortices as compared to pheochromocytomas, a 6-fold increase in preparations of clinically unapparent adrenocortical adenomas, and a 10- to 60-fold increase in cortisol-producing adrenal adenomas. Stimulation of the adrenal tumor cell line NCI-H295R with CRH elicited a 1.4-fold increase in DHEA secretion. This result could be reproduced in a culture of primary human adrenocortical cells. We conclude that adrenocortical cells exhibit a higher expression of functional CRH receptors than chromaffin cells and that CRH acts on adrenal DHEA production. The data support the assertion of a direct action of CRH on human adrenocortical cells in addition to an intra-adrenal CRH receptor/adrenocorticotropin system. Enhanced CRH1R expression may be involved in adrenocortical tumorigenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Rheumatology, University of Dusseldorf, Dusseldorf, Germany. Holger.Willenberg@uni-duesseldorf.de
authors.forename: Holger S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Willenberg
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haase
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Papewalis
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schott
authors.forename: Werner A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Scherbaum
authors.forename: Stefan R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Bornstein
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D018246:Adrenocortical Adenoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D018268:Adrenocortical Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D042282:Microdissection / Q000379:methods; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000099052:CRF Receptor, Type 1
chemical_list: C101531:CRF receptor type 2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D000099052:CRF Receptor, Type 1; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone