title: Cell signaling pathways in the adrenal cortex: Links to stem/progenitor biology and neoplasia.
abstract: The adrenal cortex is a dynamic tissue responsible for the synthesis of steroid hormones, including mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, and androgens in humans. Advances have been made in understanding the role of adrenocortical stem/progenitor cell populations in cortex homeostasis and self-renewal. Recently, large molecular profiling studies of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) have given insights into proteins and signaling pathways involved in normal tissue homeostasis that become dysregulated in cancer. These data provide an impetus to examine the cellular pathways implicated in adrenocortical disease and study connections, or lack thereof, between adrenal homeostasis and tumorigenesis, with a particular focus on stem and progenitor cell pathways. In this review, we discuss evidence for stem/progenitor cells in the adrenal cortex, proteins and signaling pathways that may regulate these cells, and the role these proteins play in pathologic and neoplastic conditions. In turn, we also examine common perturbations in adrenocortical tumors (ACT) and how these proteins and pathways may be involved in adrenal homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Biology Graduate Program, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
authors.forename: Morgan K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Penny
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Finco
authors.affiliation: Cancer Biology Graduate Program, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Endocrine Oncology Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Michigan Health System, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, 1528 BSRB, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. Electronic address: ghammer@med.umich.edu.
authors.forename: Gary D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Hammer
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway
chemical_list: D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; C509239:SHH protein, human
keywords: Adrenal cortex; Adrenal tumor; Adrenocortical adenoma; Adrenocortical carcinoma; Progenitor cells; Stem cells