title: Aromatase expression in the normal human adult adrenal and in adrenocortical tumors: biochemical, immunohistochemical, and molecular studies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aromatase enzyme catalyzes the final stage of estrogen biosynthesis pathway from androgens. Its expression in the adrenal is poorly studied except for the rare estrogen-producing adrenocortical tumors. In order to further characterize aromatase expression in the adrenal, we evaluated the aromatase enzyme activity, Cyp19a1 gene expression level, and promoter utilization in normal adrenal tissues and in adrenocortical secreting tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six normal adult adrenals (NA), 2 feminizing adrenal tumors (FT), 10 cortisol-producing adenomas with overt (CS, n=4) or sub-clinical Cushing syndrome (SCS, n=6) and 3 aldosterone-producing adenomas (APA) were studied. Tissue aromatase activity was determined by the tritiated ((3)H)-water method. Total aromatase mRNA were measured by a competitive RT-PCR. Promoter regions PII and PI.4-derived transcripts were also studied in NA, FT, and other steroid-producing tumors by a semi-quantitative comparative RT-PCR. Immunofluorescence analysis was performed in normal human adrenal tissues.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Aromatase activity was detected in NA tissues and in all tumor subtypes, at high levels in both FT. In NA, aromatase immunofluorescence was detected in the cytoplasm of steroidogenic cells, mainly from zona reticularis. Compared with NA, aromatase transcript levels were similar in CS and APA, lower in SCS and similar or higher in FT. Promoter analysis suggested predominant PII utilization in NA, APA, and SCS, but similar PII and PI.4 utilization in CS tumors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aromatase is expressed at similar levels in normal adrenal and in adrenocortical tumors, but at variably high levels in FT. Different promoter utilization patterns are found among tumor subtypes.
authors.affiliation: INRA USC 2006, Caen, France.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moreau
authors.forename: Hervé
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mittre
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benhaim
authors.forename: Camille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bois
authors.forename: Jérome
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bertherat
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carreau
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Reznik
mesh_terms: D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D018246:Adrenocortical Adenoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D000328:Adult; D001141:Aromatase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D001141:Aromatase