Microdetermination of Corticosteroids in Adrenocortical Zones in Various Adrenal Diseases

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Abstract
Since the relationship between steroidogenic activity and morphological differentiation is not necessarily clear in the human adrenal cortex, aldosterone (Al), cortisol (F) and corticosterone (b) from the adrenal tissues cut into four small pieces (capsule and glomerulosa, outer fascicular, inner fascicular, and reticular zones) on a cryostat immediately after their removal at surgery were estimated by radioimmunoassay in 15 patients with adrenal diseases (8 primary aldosteronism, 1 idiopathic aldosteronism, 4 Cushing's syndrome and 2 pheochromocytoma) and 8 control subjects with other diseases. A larger amount of Al was contained in the outer fascicular zone than in other zones in control subjects. Al showed a high value of 0.16 approximately 7.40 ng/mg tissue in adenomas of primary aldosteronism and a low value of 0 approximately 0.25 ng/mg tissue in adenomas of Cushing's syndrome. A high value of Al was detected in idiopathic aldosteronism but not in the remaining adrenal of primary aldosteronism. In Cushing's syndrome, F showed a high value of 2.58 approximately 12.3 ng/mg tissue in adenoma and a relatively low level of 0.77 ng/mg tissue in carcinoma. A larger amount of F and B was found in the inner fascicular zone than in other zones in the control subjects. These results indicate that the corticosteroid content in each adrenal zone correlates with the morphological findings.

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