title: Expression of adiponectin receptors in mouse adrenal glands and the adrenocortical Y-1 cell line: adiponectin regulates steroidogenesis.
abstract: Obesity is frequently associated with malfunctions of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and hyperaldosteronism, but the mechanism underlying this association remains unclear. Since the adrenal glands are embedded in adipose tissue, direct cross-talk between adipose tissue and the adrenal gland has been proposed. A previous study found that adiponectin receptor mRNA was expressed in human adrenal glands and aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA). However, the expression of adiponectin receptors in adrenal glands has not been confirmed at the protein level or in other species. Furthermore, it is unclear whether adiponectin receptors expressed in adrenal cells are functional. We found, for the first time, that adiponectin receptor (AdipoR1 and AdipoR2) mRNA and protein were expressed in mouse adrenal and adrenocortical Y-1 cells. However, adiponectin itself was not expressed in mouse adrenal or Y-1 cells. Furthermore, adiponectin acutely reduced basal levels of corticosterone and aldosterone secretion. ACTH-induced steroid secretion was also inhibited by adiponectin, and this was accompanied by a parallel change in the expression of the key genes involved in steroidogenesis. These findings indicate that adiponectin may take part in the modulation of steroidogenesis. Thus, adiponectin is likely to have physiological and/or pathophysiological significance as an endocrine regulator of adrenocortical function.
authors.affiliation: Ruijin Hospital, Center of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Jiaotong University Medical School, 197 Ruijin 2nd Road, Shanghai 200025, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Huang-Ming
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Qin-Yun
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Chun-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Jun-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Xiao-Na
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Huai-Dong
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Ming-Dao
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D054419:Receptors, Adiponectin / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D054419:Receptors, Adiponectin; C475419:adiponectin receptor 1, mouse; C475421:adiponectin receptor 2, mouse; D000450:Aldosterone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone