This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Thomas, M. Articles by Feige, J.-J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Thomas, M. Articles by Feige, J.-J.

Dual Hormonal Regulation of Endocrine Tissue Mass and Vasculature by Adrenocorticotropin in the Adrenal Cortex

Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Equipe Mixte 105, Department of Cellular Responses and Dynamics, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique, 38054 Grenoble, France

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. J.-J. Feige, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Equipe Mixte 105, DRDC-ANGIO, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9, France. E-mail: jjfeige{at}cea.fr.

The mass of healthy adult tissues is stable and their vasculature is quiescent, but this equilibrium is disrupted under certain physiological or pathological situations. There is an emerging concept indicating that these trophic changes may be initiated by modifications of the vasculature. In the current study, we documented over a period of 14 d the serial alterations occurring in both endocrine and endothelial compartments during adrenal atrophy induced by ACTH suppression in mice. After dexamethasone perfusion, a rapid fall of plasmatic ACTH and corticosterone concentrations was observed within the first 24 h. During the first 4 d of treatment, adrenal weight and adrenal cortex cellularity decreased rapidly. This was correlated with an inhibition of cell proliferation and a massive induction of endocrine cell apoptosis. Between d 4 and d 14, a slower but sustained decay of adrenal cortex size and cellularity was observed. This second phase was associated with progressive loss of vascular endothelial growth factor protein expression in the endocrine cells and regression of the vascular network. These data support the concept that ACTH controls adrenal cortex trophicity through a dual mechanism involving its antiapoptotic effect on endocrine cells and its indirect vascular endothelial growth factor-mediated action on endothelial cells.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. Martins, F. Schmitt, H. Almeida, and J. M. Frazao Evaluation of parathyroid gland angiogenesis in chronic kidney disease associated with secondary hyperparathyroidism Nephrol. Dial. Transplant., September 1, 2008; 23(9): 2889 - 2894. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Ishimoto, K. Minegishi, T. Higuchi, M. Furuya, S. Asai, S. H. Kim, M. Tanaka, Y. Yoshimura, and R. B. Jaffe The Periphery of the Human Fetal Adrenal Gland Is a Site of Angiogenesis: Zonal Differential Expression and Regulation of Angiogenic Factors J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 2008; 93(6): 2402 - 2408. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Keramidas, C. Faudot, A. Cibiel, J.-J. Feige, and M. Thomas Mitogenic functions of endocrine gland-derived vascular endothelial growth factor and Bombina variegata 8 on steroidogenic adrenocortical cells J. Endocrinol., March 1, 2008; 196(3): 473 - 482. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. X. Zhang, K. M. Gauthier, J. R. Falck, A. Siddam, and W. B. Campbell Steroid-Producing Cells Regulate Arterial Tone of Adrenal Cortical Arteries Endocrinology, August 1, 2007; 148(8): 3569 - 3576. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Miyamoto, T. Matsumoto, H. Shiina, K. Inoue, I. Takada, S. Ito, J. Itoh, T. Minematsu, T. Sato, T. Yanase, et al. The Pituitary Function of Androgen Receptor Constitutes a Glucocorticoid Production Circuit Mol. Cell. Biol., July 1, 2007; 27(13): 4807 - 4814. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Otis, S. Campbell, M. D Payet, and N. Gallo-Payet Expression of extracellular matrix proteins and integrins in rat adrenal gland: importance for ACTH-associated functions J. Endocrinol., June 1, 2007; 193(3): 331 - 347. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. G Ferreira, C. D Cruz, D. Neves, and D. Pignatelli Increased extracellular signal regulated kinases phosphorylation in the adrenal gland in response to chronic ACTH treatment J. Endocrinol., March 1, 2007; 192(3): 647 - 658. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Cherradi, C. Lejczak, A. Desroches-Castan, and J.-J. Feige Antagonistic Functions of Tetradecanoyl Phorbol Acetate-Inducible-Sequence 11b and HuR in the Hormonal Regulation of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Stability by Adrenocorticotropin Mol. Endocrinol., April 1, 2006; 20(4): 916 - 930. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. L. Mazzuco, O. Chabre, N. Sturm, J.-J. Feige, and M. Thomas Ectopic Expression of the Gastric Inhibitory Polypeptide Receptor Gene Is a Sufficient Genetic Event to Induce Benign Adrenocortical Tumor in a Xenotransplantation Model Endocrinology, February 1, 2006; 147(2): 782 - 790. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. C. Engeland, W. B. Ennen, A. Elayaperumal, D. A. Durand, and B. K. Levay-Young Zone-specific cell proliferation during compensatory adrenal growth in rats Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, February 1, 2005; 288(2): E298 - E306. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]