title: Ethanol and nitric oxide modulate expression of glucocorticoid receptor in the rat adrenal cortex.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was performed to investigate expression and distribution of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in the rat adrenal cortex, acute effect of ethanol on its expression and possible role of endogenous nitric oxide (NO) in this phenomenon.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult female Wistar rats showing diestrus day 1 were treated with: a) ethanol (2 or 4 g/kg body weight (b.w.), ip), b) N(ω)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), well-known competitive inhibitor of all isoforms of NO synthase (NOS), (30 mg/kg b.w., sc) followed by ethanol (4 g/kg, ip) 3 h later and c) L-NAME (30 mg/kg b.w., sc) followed by saline (ip) 3 h later. Untreated rats were used as controls. Adrenocortical expression of GR was estimated by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Strong nuclear GR staining was observed throughout the cortex of control rats. Acute ethanol treatment significantly decreased the expression of GR in the zona fasciculata and zona reticularis. Blockade of NO formation had no influence on this effect of ethanol, whereas L-NAME itself induced significant decline in GR immunoreactivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obtained findings are the first to demonstrate localization and distribution of the GR throughout the rat adrenal cortex and to suggest that ethanol as well as endogenous NO may modulate adrenocortical expression of this steroid receptor.
authors.affiliation: University of Belgrade, Institute for Medical Research, Belgrade, Serbia. dragoslava@imi.bg.ac.rs
authors.forename: Dragoslava
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Djikić
authors.forename: Mirela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Budeč
authors.forename: Sanja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vranješ-Djurić
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Todorović
authors.forename: Neda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Drndarević
authors.forename: Sanja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vignjević
authors.forename: Olivera
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mitrović
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000431:Ethanol; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester