This Article Order Full text via Infotrieve Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Aiba, M. Articles by Saruta, T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Aiba, M. Articles by Saruta, T.

American Journal of Pathology, Vol 103, 404-410, Copyright © 1981 by American Society for Investigative Pathology

REGULAR ARTICLES

Spironolactone bodies in aldosteronomas and in the attached adrenals. Enzyme histochemical study of 19 cases of primary aldosteronism and a case of aldosteronism due to bilateral diffuse hyperplasia of the zona glomerulosa

M Aiba, H Suzuki, K Kageyama, M Murai, H Tazaki, O Abe and T Saruta

The formation of spironolactone (S) bodies, eosinophilic laminated cytoplasmic inclusions, is induced in the aldosterone-producing cells of the human adrenal cortex after the administration of spironolactone. The aim of this study was to define the enzyme histochemical characteristics of S bodies, S-body-containing cells, and the apparently hyperplastic zona glomerulosa (zG) of adrenal tissues attached to aldosteronomas. S bodies were found in 14 of 19 aldosteronomas, in 10 of 19 adrenal tissues attached to aldosteronomas, and in the adrenal tissues in a patient with aldosteronism due to bilateral diffuse zG hyperplasia. The S bodies themselves exhibited most intense 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3 beta HSD) activity but did not exhibit glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), NADP- dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP-ICDH), or succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity, confirming histochemically the origin of S bodies in the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. In two adenomas, S bodies were found to be surrounded by reaction products of acid hydrolase but were not found in the other adenomas and the remaining adrenal tissues. S-body-containing cells, irrespective of being neoplastic or not, showed enhanced 3 beta HSD, G6PD, and NADP-ICDH activity and weak SDH activity (Type I pattern of enzyme activity). Though zG was hyperplastic in most of the adrenal tissues attached to the adenomas, zG cells that did not contain S bodies showed the opposite pattern (Type II pattern) of enzyme activity (ie, weak 3 beta HSD, G6PD, and NADP-ICDH activity and intense SDH activity), in contrast to those in the adrenal tissues in a patient with aldosteronism due to bilateral diffuse zG hyperplasia (which showed the Type I pattern). The results are consistent with the view that hyperplastic zG cells, except S-body- containing cells, in the case of aldosteronoma are not hyperfunctioning. The latter cells may have enhanced but possibly abortive steroidogenic activity.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				V.C. Wu, S.C. Chueh, H.W. Chang, W.C. Lin, K.L. Liu, H.Y. Li, Y.H. Lin, K.D. Wu, and B.S. Hsieh Bilateral aldosterone-producing adenomas: differentiation from bilateral adrenal hyperplasia QJM, January 1, 2008; 101(1): 13 - 22. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Shigematsu, K. Kawai, J. Irie, H. Sakai, O. Nakashima, A. Iguchi, J. Shimamatsu, K. Shimamatsu, Y. Kusaba, and O. Takahara Analysis of Unilateral Adrenal Hyperplasia with Primary Aldosteronism from the Aspect of Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Expression for Steroidogenic Enzymes: A Comparative Study with Adrenal Cortices Adhering to Aldosterone-Producing Adenoma Endocrinology, February 1, 2006; 147(2): 999 - 1006. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]