Abstract
Endothelin (ET)-1 is a 21-amino acid peptide with potent vasopressor and vasocontrictive properties. Biochemical studies suggest that this peptide occurs in adrenal glands, where it influences steroid hormone production. However, we have found no report of the topographical distribution of this peptide. The localization of ET-1 immunoreactivity in non-neoplastic (37 cases) and neoplastic adrenal glands (48 cases) was investigated with a sensitive immunohistochemical technique applied to routinely processed tissue specimens. ET-1 immunoreactivity was regularly seen in the cortex, especially in the zona fasciculata and to a varying extent also in the other two zones, but not in the medulla. The immunoreactive material appeared in the cytoplasm mostly in the form of vacuolar structures but also as grains. Focally, the cell membrane also showed immunoreactive staining. In the zona reticularis the immunoreactivity appeared mainly as cytoplasmic grains. Most cortical adenomas displayed numerous immunoreactive cells. The immunoreactivity in the tumour tissue appeared in the same forms as in normal cortex, but the reactive products were generally fewer in number. No obvious differences in immunostaining were seen between the aldosterone- and cortisol-producing adenomas or the non-functioning ones. Three of the ten carcinomas contained immunoreactive cells, but they were few, appearing focally and the ET-1 immunoreactive structures were seen as ‘dust-like’ material. The difference in immunoreactivity between the benign and the malignant cortical neoplasms may be of diagnostic value. Functionally our results support a relationship between ET-1 and steroid regulation in non-neoplastic cortical tissue.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cozza EN, Gromez Sanchez CE (1990) Effects of endothelin-1 on its receptor concentration and thymidine incorporation in calf adrenal zona glomerulosa cells: a comparative study with phorbol esters. Endocrinology 127:549–554
Giaid A, Gibson SJ, Ibrahim NBN, Legon S, Bloom SR, Yanagisawa M, Masaki T, Varndell IM, Polak JM (1989) Endothelin 1, and endothelium-derived peptide, is expressed in neurons of the human spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 86:7634–7638
Giaid A, Gibson SJ, Herrero MT, Gentleman S, Legon S, Yanagisawa M, Masaki T, Ibrahim NBN, Roberts GW, Rossi ML, Polak JM (1991) Topographical localization of endothelin mRNA and peptide immunoreactivity in neurones of the human brain. Histochemistry 95:303–314
Hinson JP, Vinson GP, Kapas S, Teja R (1991) The role of endothelin in the control of adrenocortical function: stimulation of endothelin release by ACTH and the effects of endothelin-1 and endothelin-3 on steroidogenesis in rat and human adrenocortical cells. J Endocrinol 128(2):275–280
Inoue A, Yanagisawa M, Kimura S, Kasuya Y, Miyauchi T, Goto K, Masaki T (1989) The human endothelin family: three structurally and pharmacologically distinct isopeptides predicted by three separate genes. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 86:2863–2867
Imai T, Hirata Y, Eguchi S, Kanno K, Ohta K, Emori T, Sakamoto A, Yanagisawa M, Masaki T, Marumo F (1992) Concomitant expression of receptor subtype and isopeptide of endothelin by human adrenal gland. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 182:1115–1121
Jones CR, Hiley CR, Pelton JT, Mohr M (1989) Autoradiographic visualization of the binding sites for [125I] endothelin in rat and human brain. Neurosci Lett 97:276–279
Johannessen JV (1981) Electron microscopy in human medicine. Vol 10. Endocrine organs. William Clowes, London, pp. 150–151
Koseki C, Imai M, Hirata Y, Yanagisawa M, Masaki T (1989) Autoradiographic distribution in rat tissues of binding sites for endothelin: a neuropeptide? Am Physiol Soc 256:858–866
Mazzocchi G, Rebuffat P, Meneghelli V, Malendowicz LK, Kasprzak A, Nussdorfer GG (1990) Effects of prolonged infusion with endothelin-1 on the function and morphology of rat adrenal cortex. Peptides 11:767–772
Mazzocchi G, Malendowicz LK, Meneghelli V, Nussdorfer GG (1992) Endothelin-1 stimulates mitotic activity in the zona glomerulosa of the rat adrenal cortex. Cytobios 69:91–96
Shu S, Ju G, Fan L (1988) The glucose oxidase-DAB-nickel method in peroxidase histochemistry of the nervous system. Neurosci Lett 85:169–171
Sone M, Totsune K, Takahashi K, Ohneda M, Itoi K, Murakami O, Miura Y, Mouri T, Yoshinaga K (1991) Immunoreactive endothelin in pheochromocytomas. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 17:S427–429
Yanagisawa M, Kurihara H, Kimura S, Tomobe Y, Kobayashi M, Mitsui Y, Yazaki Y, Goto K, Masaki T (1988) A novel potent vasoconstrictor peptide produced by vascular endothelial cells. Nature 332:411–415
Zeng ZP, Naruse M, Guan BJ, Naruse K, Sun ML, Zang MF, Demura H, Shi YF (1992) Endothelin stimulates aldosterone secretion in vitro from normal adrenocortical tissue, but not adenoma tissue, in primary aldosteronism. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 74:874–878
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Li, Q., Grimelius, L., Johansson, H. et al. Immunohistochemical localization of endothelin-1 in non-neoplastic and neoplastic adrenal gland tissue. Vichows Archiv A Pathol Anat 425, 259–264 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00196148
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00196148