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Hammer GD, Basham KJ. Stem cell function and plasticity in the normal physiology of the adrenal cortex. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2021; 519:111043. [PMID: 33058950 PMCID: PMC7736543 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2020.111043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The adrenal cortex functions to produce steroid hormones necessary for life. To maintain its functional capacity throughout life, the adrenal cortex must be continually replenished and rapidly repaired following injury. Moreover, the adrenal responds to endocrine-mediated organismal needs, which are highly dynamic and necessitate a precise steroidogenic response. To meet these diverse needs, the adrenal employs multiple cell populations with stem cell function. Here, we discuss the literature on adrenocortical stem cells using hematopoietic stem cells as a benchmark to examine the functional capacity of particular cell populations, including those located in the capsule and peripheral cortex. These populations are coordinately regulated by paracrine and endocrine signaling mechanisms, and display remarkable plasticity to adapt to different physiological and pathological conditions. Some populations also exhibit sex-specific activity, which contributes to highly divergent proliferation rates between sexes. Understanding mechanisms that govern adrenocortical renewal has broad implications for both regenerative medicine and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary D Hammer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Endocrine Oncology Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Kaitlin J Basham
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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Sapouckey SA, Morselli LL, Deng G, Patil CN, Balapattabi K, Oliveira V, Claflin KE, Gomez J, Pearson NA, Potthoff MJ, Gibson-Corley KN, Sigmund CD, Grobe JL. Exploration of cardiometabolic and developmental significance of angiotensinogen expression by cells expressing the leptin receptor or agouti-related peptide. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2020; 318:R855-R869. [PMID: 32186897 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00297.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Angiotensin II (ANG II) Agtr1a receptor (AT1A) is expressed in cells of the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus that express the leptin receptor (Lepr) and agouti-related peptide (Agrp). Agtr1a expression in these cells is required to stimulate resting energy expenditure in response to leptin and high-fat diets (HFDs), but the mechanism activating AT1A signaling by leptin remains unclear. To probe the role of local paracrine/autocrine ANG II generation and signaling in this mechanism, we bred mice harboring a conditional allele for angiotensinogen (Agt, encoding AGT) with mice expressing Cre-recombinase via the Lepr or Agrp promoters to cause cell-specific deletions of Agt (AgtLepr-KO and AgtAgrp-KO mice, respectively). AgtLepr-KO mice were phenotypically normal, arguing against a paracrine/autocrine AGT signaling mechanism for metabolic control. In contrast, AgtAgrp-KO mice exhibited reduced preweaning survival, and surviving adults exhibited altered renal structure and steroid flux, paralleling previous reports of animals with whole body Agt deficiency or Agt disruption in albumin (Alb)-expressing cells (thought to cause liver-specific disruption). Surprisingly, adult AgtAgrp-KO mice exhibited normal circulating AGT protein and hepatic Agt mRNA expression but reduced Agt mRNA expression in adrenal glands. Reanalysis of RNA-sequencing data sets describing transcriptomes of normal adrenal glands suggests that Agrp and Alb are both expressed in this tissue, and fluorescent reporter gene expression confirms Cre activity in adrenal gland of both Agrp-Cre and Alb-Cre mice. These findings lead to the iconoclastic conclusion that extrahepatic (i.e., adrenal) expression of Agt is critically required for normal renal development and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Sapouckey
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Lisa L Morselli
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Guorui Deng
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Chetan N Patil
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | | | - Vanessa Oliveira
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Kristin E Claflin
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Javier Gomez
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Nicole A Pearson
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Matthew J Potthoff
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.,Obesity Research & Education Initiative, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.,Fraternal Order of Eagles' Diabetes Research Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Katherine N Gibson-Corley
- Fraternal Order of Eagles' Diabetes Research Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.,Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Curt D Sigmund
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.,Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.,Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Justin L Grobe
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.,Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.,Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.,Comprehensive Rodent Metabolic Phenotyping Core, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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