Analysis of mRNA expression for steroidogenic enzymes in the remaining adrenal cortices attached to adrenocortical adenomas.
METHODS
We have recently demonstrated that the adrenal cortices attached to aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) contained microscopic subcapsular micronodules suggestive of active aldosterone production. In this study, we used in situ hybridization to investigate the mRNA expression of steroidogenic enzymes in the adrenal cortices attached to cortisol-producing adenoma (CPA) and clinically silent adenoma (non-functioning adenoma; NFA), in addition to APA.


RESULTS
Microscopic subcapsular micronodules, which were several hundreds of micrometers in size and spheroid in shape, were observed in the cortices attached to CPA and NFA, as well as APA, at high frequency. Most of the cortical nodules in zona fasciculata to zona reticularis showed a suppressed steroidogenesis in the cortices attached to adenoma, but some expressed intensely all necessary steroidogenic enzyme mRNAs for cortisol synthesis.


CONCLUSIONS
It is thus necessary to keep in mind, on the occasion of subtotal adrenalectomy, that lesions with the potential to later develop into functional adrenocortical nodules may be present in other parts of the ipsilateral or contralateral adrenal cortices.
Shigematsu
Kazuto
K
Division of Pathology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan. shigek@net.nagasaki-u.ac.jp
Nakagaki
Takehiro
T
Yamaguchi
Naohiro
N
Kawai
Kioko
K
Sakai
Hideki
H
Takahara
Osamu
O
D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D018246:Adrenocortical Adenoma / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002786:Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics; D015238:Sulfotransferases / Q000235:genetics
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C482323:SPATA7 protein, human; C501892:CYP17A1 protein, human; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase; D002786:Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme; D015238:Sulfotransferases; C028152:alcohol sulfotransferase