Hormones produced by the adrenal glands and adipose tissues have important roles in normal physiology and are altered in many disease states. Obesity is associated with changes in adrenal function, including increase in adrenal medullary catecholamine output, alterations of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, elevations in circulating aldosterone together with changes in adipose tiss...

Steroid research was begun at this Centre 6 years ago in the expectation that it would contribute to our knowledge of the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. Much has been learnt since then of the secretion and metabolism of the adrenocortical hormones in health and disease. The object of this paper is to take stock of the present position vis-a-vis rheumatoid arthritis. Why should interest h...

Adrenal hormones were studied as possible triggering substances of the synthesis of acute-phase reactants in rats. alpha-Macrofoetoprotein, which rises sharply in concentration during inflammation, was used to monitor the acute-phase reaction. In normal rats glucocorticoids and catecholamines induce alpha-macrofoetoprotein synthesis; glucocorticoids only increase alpha-macrofoetoprotein to mode...

The adrenal cortex secretes glucocorticoids (GC), mineralocorticoids (MC) and androgens. GC maintain homeostasis, MC regulate fluid and electrolyte balance and adrenal androgens contribute to development of secondary sexual characteristics. Pharmacologic GC therapy is frequently indicated in the pediatric age group. Besides having many important side effects, prolonged high dose systemic GC the...

Methods: We divided 360 atopic dermatitis patients into six groups in the treatment frequency to compare a treatment effect. We investigated the existence of the diurnal secretion quantity change of adrenal cortex hormone to judge the present condition of the adrenal cortex functions of 1,699 atopic dermatitis patients and bronchial asthma patients. We investigated the spinal condition of 1,028...

Activins and inhibins are structurally related glycoprotein hormones modulating pituitary FSH secretion and gonadal steroidogenesis. Activins and inhibins are also produced in the adrenal cortex where their physiological role is poorly known. Hormonally active human adrenocortical tumors express and secrete inhibins, while in mice adrenal inhibins may function as tumor suppressors. To clarify t...

The considerable concentration of mitochondria found in the different zones of the adrenal cortex has been described with the light and with the electron microscope (1). (Palade, (2) in his general description of the fine structure of mitochondria, pointed out the special tubular structures found within the mitochondrial matrix. In addition to the adrenal cortex and other sites of steroid secre...

ACTH levels in human plasma during surgical stress have not been estimated previously. Much evidence (1-7) has accumulated, however, concerning variations in adrenal cortical steroids in plasma during and after surgery. Although an increase in plasma ACTH with stress has been noted in animal experiments, it has been suggested by some investigators that elevation of corticosteroids in plasma aft...

The presence in human urine of small amounts of material with adrenocortical activity is well established (1, 2). The chemical characterization of this urinary material by the classical methods used for the steroids in adrenal glands has been technically difficult. In the six reported instances (3-8) in which corticoids have been isolated and identified by these procedures, extracts of large vo...

The role of the adrenal cortex in the pathogenesis of ascites has been studied in adrenalectomized clogs with thoracic inferior caval constriction. Discontinuation of hormone therapy resulted in a diuresis which demonstrates that adequate adrenocortical function or replacement therapy is essential for ascites formation during normal sodium (Na) intake. Evidence is presented in support of the th...