Quantitative ultrastructural study of the rat adrenal cortex in renal encapsulation-induced hypertension.

Hypertension was induced in young rats by latex encapsulation of both kidneys. By the fourth week, 85% of the renal-encapsulated (RE) rats became hypertensive. Varying degrees of cardiovascular involvement were evident in the moderately to severely hypertensive rats. The level of systolic blood pressure was directly correlated with the width and the volume of zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex. Electron microscopy combined with morphometric-stereologic techniques was employed to quantitate change in the adrenal cortex. The cells of both zona glomerulosa and zona fasciculata of RE rats showed significant increases in the volume of the cell, nucleus, smooth endoplasmic reticulum, and lipid droplets; only in the zona glomerulosa cells was the increase in surface area of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum statistically significant. It is suggested that these structural changes associated with renal-encapsulation hypertension are related at least in part to stress of the hypertensive cardiovascular disease.     

Hyperplastic changes and aldosterone content in the adrenal cortex in essential hypertension and primary aldosteronism]

Autopsy and operative material (adrenalectomy for hyperaldosteronism) was studied to elucidate morphology, incidence of nodules, aldosterone content in the adrenal of patients with essential hypertension (EH). It was established than nodular masses in the adrenals in the form of micro and macronodules are present in 80% of EH patients. Aldosterone content in the adrenals in both nodules and in the adjacent cortex is significantly higher than in the adrenals of patients without EH. This fact as well as increased cell nuclei size in the fascicular and glomerular zones indicate high secretory activity of the adrenals in EH. Clinicomorphological comparisons in patients after adrenalectomy because of hyperaldosteronism syndrome allow to conclude that grave forms of EH may be followed by aldosteronism syndromes with nodular hyperplasia of the adrenal cortex being the basis of the syndrome. Indications to adrenalectomy require clear criteria of differential diagnosis with primary aldosteronism.     

Diseases of the adrenal cortex

The development and differentiation of the adrenal cortex and the maintenance of normal functional zonation is effected by the interaction of classical hormones and local factors, such as growth factors and cytokines, produced by cortical and stromal cells and neurotransmitters released from the cortical plexus. Specific intracellular molecules are also important.Mutations in the genes encoding components of these pathways have now been demonstrated in a number of inherited adrenal diseases including congenital adrenal hyperplasia and hypoplasia. Similarly, molecular genetic analysis is helping elucidate other non-neoplastic cortical diseases such as glucocorticoid-suppressible hyperaldosteronism and primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease (PPNAD).It is becoming more important to be able to diagnose malignant potential in adrenal cortical tumours because cortical nodules are identified more commonly during scanning for the investigation of other intra-abdominal disease. Current approaches to histological analysis are outlined. Current research findings on which future diagnosis may be based are discussed.     

Nervous control of the adrenal cortex

Summary Rabbits were used to study the effect on function of denervating the adrenal gland. The amount of ascorbic acid in the gland served as an index. Twenty to sixty-five days after the splanchnic nerve had been divided, the semilunar ganglion and the two superior ganglia of the addominal sympathetic chain excised, and the nerve fibers running to the adrenal gland along the blood vessels divided, the ascorbic acid content of the adrenal gland fell. The decrease was most marked between the 20th and 36th days. It is suggested that the CNS exterts a trophic effect on the adrenal cortex.(Presented by Active Member AMN SSSR A. B. Lebedinskii) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 51, No. 6, pp. 24–28, June, 1961.     

Aging of the human adrenal cortex

The aging of the human adrenal cortex presents several problems of interest to the cell biologist, as the interplay of changes in growth, differentiation, apoptosis and cellular senescence affect the properties of the tissue over the life span. The human adrenal cortex also presents an interesting case of tumor progression, as nodules and adenomas are very common in aging, although carcinomas are rare. A specific puzzle for the gerontologist is the loss of biosynthesis of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate by the human adrenal cortex in aging. The reason for the development of a specific zone of DHEA-secreting cells, the zona reticularis, in childhood and the later involution of this zone is completely unknown. This review explores these issues, the underlying basic cell and molecular biology, and the techniques that can address these questions.     

Personality characteristics and renin in essential hypertension

There may be specific personality differences between some if not all biochemically defined subgroups of patients with essential hypertension. A newly standardized projective test of reactions to frustration, a questionnaire related to such characteristics as aggressiveness and dominance, and a standardized interview were applied to 16 patients with established high renin essential hypertension and 21 patients of similar age with normal renin. High renin patients are significantly less assertive, fail to externalize their aggression, perceive frustration less and try to please others more; they have a stronger need to solve problems immediately yet tend to deny social conflicts. These tendencies are likely to create internal conflict and indicate a psychosomatic component in high renin essential hypertension.