Biomaterial Database

Steroid 21-hydroxylase and 17 alpha-hydroxylase in microsomal fraction of functioning adrenocortical tumors. 1989

H Naganuma, and N Sasano

Department of Pathology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai.

In order to survey the enzymic activities of steroidogenesis in functioning adrenocortical tumors, we investigated the activities of steroid 21-hydroxylase and 17 alpha-hydroxylase in microsomal fractions of 12 surgically resected adrenocortical tumors associated with Cushing's syndrome (5 adenomas and one carcinoma), primary aldosteronism (5 adenomas) and adrenogenital syndrome (AGS) (one carcinoma), and one adrenocortical hyperplasia resulting from Cushing's disease. Seven adrenal cortices from the patients with mammary carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma or pheochromocytoma were used for normal control. In normal controls 21-hydroxylase activities with progesterone as a substrate were 1.61 +/- 0.25 nmole/min/mg protein and those with 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone were 5.22 +/- 1.06 nmole/min/mg protein. The activity of 21-hydroxylase was higher in four cases of 5 aldosteronomas than in normal controls. Those activities in Cushing's adenomas were in the range of normal controls in this study. 17 alpha-hydroxylase activities were much variable from case to case even though in normal controls (4.50 +/- 2.40 nmole/min/mg protein), and in most cases of adenomas 17 alpha-hydroxylase activities were in the range of normal controls. Activities of both hydroxylase in carcinomas were lower than in normal controls. The present paper showed the abnormal steroidogenic enzyme activities in aldosteronomas and adrenocortical carcinomas.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D006965	Hyperplasia	An increase in the number of cells in a tissue or organ without tumor formation. It differs from HYPERTROPHY, which is an increase in bulk without an increase in the number of cells.	Hyperplasias
D008297	Male		Males
D008861	Microsomes	Artifactual vesicles formed from the endoplasmic reticulum when cells are disrupted. They are isolated by differential centrifugation and are composed of three structural features: rough vesicles, smooth vesicles, and ribosomes. Numerous enzyme activities are associated with the microsomal fraction. (Glick, Glossary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 1990; from Rieger et al., Glossary of Genetics: Classical and Molecular, 5th ed)	Microsome
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D003480	Cushing Syndrome	A condition caused by prolonged exposure to excess levels of cortisol (HYDROCORTISONE) or other GLUCOCORTICOIDS from endogenous or exogenous sources. It is characterized by upper body OBESITY; OSTEOPOROSIS; HYPERTENSION; DIABETES MELLITUS; HIRSUTISM; AMENORRHEA; and excess body fluid. Endogenous Cushing syndrome or spontaneous hypercortisolism is divided into two groups, those due to an excess of ADRENOCORTICOTROPIN and those that are ACTH-independent.	Cushing's Syndrome,Hypercortisolism,Syndrome, Cushing,Syndrome, Cushing's
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000236	Adenoma	A benign epithelial tumor with a glandular organization.	Adenoma, Basal Cell,Adenoma, Follicular,Adenoma, Microcystic,Adenoma, Monomorphic,Adenoma, Papillary,Adenoma, Trabecular,Adenomas,Adenomas, Basal Cell,Adenomas, Follicular,Adenomas, Microcystic,Adenomas, Monomorphic,Adenomas, Papillary,Adenomas, Trabecular,Basal Cell Adenoma,Basal Cell Adenomas,Follicular Adenoma,Follicular Adenomas,Microcystic Adenoma,Microcystic Adenomas,Monomorphic Adenoma,Monomorphic Adenomas,Papillary Adenoma,Papillary Adenomas,Trabecular Adenoma,Trabecular Adenomas
D000302	Adrenal Cortex	The outer layer of the adrenal gland. It is derived from MESODERM and comprised of three zones (outer ZONA GLOMERULOSA, middle ZONA FASCICULATA, and inner ZONA RETICULARIS) with each producing various steroids preferentially, such as ALDOSTERONE; HYDROCORTISONE; DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE; and ANDROSTENEDIONE. Adrenal cortex function is regulated by pituitary ADRENOCORTICOTROPIN.	Cortex, Adrenal
D000306	Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms	Tumors or cancers of the ADRENAL CORTEX.	Adrenocortical Cancer,Cancer of Adrenal Cortex,Adrenal Cortex Cancer,Cancer of the Adrenal Cortex,Neoplasms, Adrenal Cortex,Adrenal Cortex Cancers,Adrenal Cortex Neoplasm,Adrenocortical Cancers,Cancer, Adrenal Cortex,Cancer, Adrenocortical,Cancers, Adrenal Cortex,Cancers, Adrenocortical,Neoplasm, Adrenal Cortex