M. Stowasser et al., CORTISOL PRODUCTION BY ALDOSTERONE-PRODUCING ADENOMAS INVITRO, Clinical and experimental pharmacology and physiology, 20(5), 1993, pp. 292-295
1. In vitro short-term production of cortisol by dispersed tumour and
non-tumorous adrenal cortical cells was measured with and without adde
d angiotensin II (AII) or adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH) in adrenals remo
ved from five patients with primary aldosteronism. 2. Aldosterone-prod
ucing adenomas (APA) were classified as angiotensin responsive (AII-R)
or angiotensin unresponsive (AII-U) based on pre-operative behaviour
in vivo. 3. Cortisol was produced by both tumour and cortex in vitro w
ithout stimulation, and significantly more cortisol was generated by t
he cortex. 4. Addition of AII significantly increased cortisol product
ion by both tumour and cortex to an equal extent. 5. Addition of ACTH
also significantly increased cortisol production by both tumour and co
rtex, but tumours were more responsive than cortex. The response to AC
TH exceeded the response to angiotensin in both tumour and cortex. 6.
There was no obvious difference between AII-R and AII-U APA in terms o
f cortisol production.