Adrenocortical remodeling develops autonomous production of aldosterone

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26461387
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Endocrinology
• Research Institution: Keio University
• Principal Investigator: MUKAI KUNIAKI 慶應義塾大学, 医学部(信濃町), 専任講師 (80229913)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: アルドステロン / ステロイドホルモン / 副腎

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Aldosterone is secreted from adrenal cortex in mammals and has an essential role for homeostasis of body fluid volume. Formation of excessive aldosterone-producing lesions such as adrenal adenomas causes primary aldosteronism in humans. This study focused on pathogenesis of primary aldosteronism and examined excessive aldosterone-producing lesions from patients by using histochemical methods and gene mutation analyses. The results suggested that an aldosterone-producing cell-cluster, which we previously discovered in normal human adrenal cortex, could develop to a transitional lesion further growing to an adenoma. Somatic mutations of a group of ion channel/pump genes were likely to play key roles for development from an aldosterone-producing cell-cluster to an adenoma through such a transitional lesion.

Free Research Field

生化学