Coordinated Regression of Adrenocortical Endocrine and Endothelial Compartments Under Adrenocorticotropin Deprivation

The adrenal cortex is a complex tissue comprising different cell types, including endocrine, stromal, nerve, perivascular, and endothelial cells. The pituitary hormone ACTH controls the coordinated development of the vasculature and the endocrine tissue mass. This suggests that paracrine secretions between steroidogenic cells and capillary endothelial cells participate in the control of adrenocortical homeostasis. In this paper, we present data demonstrating that ACTH deprivation-induced adrenal atrophy results from alterations of both endocrine and endothelial compartments. These data support the concept that, in addition to its protective effect on endocrine cells, ACTH controls adult adrenal cortex trophicity through an additional paracrine mechanism implying maintenance of the vasculature by VEGF.