Post-Mortem Immunohistochemical Evidence of ?2-Adrenergic Receptor Expression in the Adrenal Gland.

ABSTRACT: The evidence from post-mortem biochemical studies conducted on cortisol and catecholamines suggest that analysis of the adrenal gland could provide useful information about its role in human pathophysiology and the stress response. Authors designed an immunohistochemical study on the expression of the adrenal ?2-adrenergic receptor (?2-AR), a receptor with high-affinity for catecholamines, with the aim to show which zones it is expressed in and how its expression differs in relation to the cause of death. The immunohistochemical study was performed on adrenal glands obtained from 48 forensic autopsies of subjects that died as a result of different pathogenic mechanisms using a mouse monoclonal ?2-AR antibody. The results show that immunoreactivity for ?2-AR was observed in all adrenal zones. Furthermore, immunoreactivity for ?2-AR has shown variation in the localization and intensity of different patterns in relation to the original cause of death. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that demonstrates ?2-AR expression in the human cortex and provides suggestions on the possible involvement of ?2-AR in human cortex hormonal stimulation. In conclusion, the authors provide a possible explanation for the observed differences in expression in relation to the cause of death.

SUBMITTER: Ventura Spagnolo E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6628614 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature