I. Introduction: The Adrenal Functional Unit II. Interaction Between Adrenal Medulla and Adrenal Cortex A. Relationship between medullary and cortical cells B. Paracrine control of adrenocortical function by the adrenal medulla C. Gap junctions in the adrenal cortex D. Summary III. Innervation of the Adrenal Cortex A. Evidence for a nerve supply to the adrenal cortex B. The source of adrenocortical innervation C. Regulation of adrenocortical innervation D. Role of the splanchnic nerve in regulating adrenocortical neural function E. Influence of adrenal innervation on adrenocortical function F. Effects of neurotransmitter substances on adrenocortical function G. Summary IV. The Vascular System of the Adrenal Gland A. Regulation of blood flow B. Relationship between blood flow and steroid secretion C. Effects of vascular endothelial cell products on steroid secretion D. Summary V. The Intraadrenal CRH/ACTH System A. Extrapituitary effect of CRH B. Intraadrenal ACTH C. Intraadrenal CRH and CRH receptors D. F...

Intraadrenal Interactions in the Regulation of Adrenocortical Steroidogenesis

Spat, Andras, and Laszlo Hunyady. Control of Aldosterone Secretion: A Model for Convergence in Cellular Signaling Pathways. Physiol Rev 84: 489–539, 2004; 10.1152/physrev.00030.2003.—Aldosterone se...

Control of Aldosterone Secretion: A Model for Convergence in Cellular Signaling Pathways

The effect of synthetic atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) on adrenal steroidogenesis has been studied in prijnary culture of bovine adrenal cells. ANF-(8-33) produced a potent 40-70% inhibition of angiotensin II-, ACTH-, PGE!-, and forskolin-stimulated secretion of aldosterone production from zona glorerulosa cells with an ED50 of 120 pM. An equipotent inhibitory effect of the natriuretic factor on cortisol production was also observed in cultured zona fasciculata cells. Nicotine-stimulated secretion of catecholamines from medullary cells was only slightly inhibited by the factor at doses above 10 nM. [125I]iodo-ANF-(8-33) binding to glomerulosa membranes displayed an apparent affinity of 100–150 pM for specific receptor sites and was not inhibited by angiotensin II or ACTH. Conversely, the natriuretic factor had no affinity for angiotensin II receptor sites. The results demonstrate that part of the natriuretic effect of this new factor might be due to inhibition of adrenal steroidogenesis by action through...

Specific receptor-mediated inhibition by synthetic atrial natriuretic factor of hormone-stimulated steroidogenesis in cultured bovine adrenal cells.

GOODFRIEND, THEODORE L., DAVID E. KELLEY, BRET H. GOODPASTER, AND STEPHEN J. WINTERS. Visceral obesity and insulin resistance are associated with plasma aldosterone levels in women. Obes Res.



Objective: Both obesity and insulin resistance increase the risk of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases, but the mechanisms linking these abnormalities are unknown. The current study was undertaken to examine the effects of obesity, fat distribution, and insulin resistance on plasma levels of aldosterone and other adrenal steroids that might contribute to sequelae of obesity.



Research Methods and Procedures: Twenty-eight normo-tensive premenopausal women and 27 normotensive men with a wide range of body fat underwent measurements of visceral adipose tissue by CT scan, total fat mass by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and plasma levels of three adrenal steroid hormones.



Results: Plasma aldosterone in women correlated directly with visceral adipose tissue (r = 0. 66, p<0. 001) and inversely with insulin sensitivity (r = −0. 67, p<0. 001), and these associations were independent of plasma renin activity. There were no corresponding correlations in men. Plasma aldosterone was significantly correlated with plasma cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in women. Seventeen women and 15 men completed a weight-reduction regimen, losing an average of 15. 1±1. 2 kg. After weight loss, plasma aldosterone was significantly lower and insulin sensitivity higher; however, the correlations of aldosterone with visceral adipose tissue and insulin sensitivity in women persisted (p = 0. 09 and 0. 07, respectively). Although none of the women were hypertensive, blood pressure correlated with plasma aldosterone both before and after weight loss.



Discussion: We conclude that visceral adiposity and insulin resistance are associated with increased plasma aldosterone and other adrenal steroids that may contribute to cardiovascular diseases in obese women.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/j.1550-8528.1999.tb00418.x

Visceral obesity and insulin resistance are associated with plasma aldosterone levels in women.

Regulation of Aldosterone Biosynthesis

Primary culture of bovine adrenal subcapsular cells was used to investigate direct effects of catecholamines on aldosterone secretion. Cells dispersed with collagenase and DNAse and cultured at high density (1.5–2 million/ml) for 3 days displayed high sensitivity to angiotensin II and ACTH, with an ED60 of 1.4 and 1.5 nm, respectively. Adrenergic agonists elicited a 4- to 6-fold stimulation of aldosterone secretion with potency order (−)isoproterenol greater than (−)epinephrine equals (−)norepinephrine greater than (+)isoproterenol, and corresponding ED50 5, 240, 213, and 3000 nm, respectively. No reproducible inhibition by dopamine of basal or stimulated levels of aldosterone secretion could be detected, but a weak stimulatory effect was sometimes observed at high concentration greater than 10 μM. (−)Isoproterenol stimulation of aldosterone production was potently inhibited by the β-adrenergic antagonists (−)alprenolol and (+)alprenolol with potencies of 1.8 and 110 nm, respectively. The α-adrenergic ant...

Marieluce Desrosiers

Papers

Direct β-Adrenergic Stimulation of Aldosterone Secretion in Cultured Bovine Adrenal Subcapsular Cells*