Endocrine Abstracts

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a routinely fatal cancer with no effective treatments. Understanding the genetic landscape of ACC is essential to develop novel therapeutic strategies. Recent large-scale cancer genomics projects have revealed core signalling pathways frequently altered in human ACC tumours, including the Wnt/b-catenin pathway. Aberrant Wnt activation is a hallmark of ACC observed in ~40% of tumours, and can be driven by diverse mutational events. These includ...

The adrenal glands serve as central organs of the endocrine system by producing steroid hormone essential for organismal homeostasis. Mechanisms ensuring proper adrenal homeostasis and function are therefore crucial for maintaining human life. ACTH, released by the pituitary corticotrope, is required for the differentiation of the inner part of the adrenal cortex (the zona fasciculata) and the resultant stimulation of cortisol production. Perturbation of ACTH signaling can lea...

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare and aggressive cancer that originates from steroidogenic cells within the adrenal cortex. The most common alteration in ACC patients is inactivation of the transmembrane E3 ubiquitin-ligase Zinc and Ring Finger 3 (ZNRF3), which is responsible for inhibiting the canonical WNT/Beta-catenin pathway. Using Cre/loxP strategy, we showed that inactivation of Znrf3 in the adrenal cortex resulted in an initial hyperplasia by 6-weeks, af...