New insights into zonal differentiation of adrenal autotransplants in the rat: an immunohistochemical study

J Endocrinol. 1996 Jun;149(3):497-502. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.1490497.

Abstract

Adrenal gland autotransplantation, an interesting model of adrenal regeneration, provides the reconstruction of distinct functional and morphological zonae. An immunohistochemical study of the adrenal gland of adult male rats after autotransplantation and endothelin-1 (ET-1) stimulation was carried out. The technique involved total adrenalectomy and immediate autotransplantation of small adrenal pieces under the skin of the dorsal region. The animals were killed 90 days after the autotransplantation and 1 h after intravenous ET-1 administration. Sections of recovered adrenal grafts were incubated with IZAb, a monoclonal antibody which interacts with an antigen (IZAg) predominantly found in rat adrenal inner zones. Saline-treated control autotransplanted animals showed IZAb immunostaining in almost all adrenocortical tissue, with the exception of small clusters of cells beneath the capsule. ET-1-treated animals exhibited an extended zone devoid of immunostaining and located in the subcapsular area. In addition, ET-1-stimulated animals showed significant increases in aldosterone as well as corticosterone concentrations in plasma. These results revealed that ET-1 stimulated the development of an extended subcapsular zone lacking IZAg expression, an effect that suggests its role in zona glomerulosa induction in these animals.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Glands / drug effects
  • Adrenal Glands / physiology*
  • Adrenal Glands / transplantation
  • Aldosterone / blood
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Corticosterone / blood
  • Endothelins / pharmacology
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Male
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Regeneration*
  • Renin / blood
  • Transplantation, Autologous
  • Zona Fasciculata / growth & development
  • Zona Fasciculata / immunology
  • Zona Reticularis / growth & development
  • Zona Reticularis / immunology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Endothelins
  • Aldosterone
  • Renin
  • Corticosterone