Endocrine Abstracts

In adult mice the adrenal cortex is divided, in two distinct functional zones, outermost zona glomerulosa (ZG) and innermost zona fasciculata (ZF), encapsulated by a thin layer of mesenchymal cells (capsule). The adrenal cortex undergoes constant centripetal cell renewal, reliying on recruitment of progenitors located within an outer cortex niche. Progenitors initially differentiate as ZG cells and undergo lineage conversion to ZF as they move within the cortex. This relies on...

Introduction: Primary bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia (PBMAH) are adrenocortical tumors leading to adrenal Cushing’s syndrome. Recently, our laboratory has identified the first gene predisposing frequently to PBMAH in adults, named ARMC5 (Armadillo Repeat Containing 5)1. The ARMC5-inactivating mutations identified in leucocyte and tumour DNA in PBMAH patients suggest that ARMC5 is a tumour suppressor gene. However, the mechanisms of action of ARMC5 remain unkno...