Cell loss and autophagy in the extra-adrenal chromaffin organ of Zuckerkandl are regulated by glucocorticoid signalling

01.01.2013

Schober A, Parlato R, Huber K, Kinscherf R, Hartleben B, Huber TB, Schütz G, Unsicker K.

J Neuroendocrinol. 2013;25(1):34-47

J Neuroendocrinol.           online article

Neuroendocrine chromaffin cells exist in both intra- and extra-adrenal locations; the organ of Zuckerkandl (OZ) constitutes the largest accumulation of extra-adrenal chromaffin tissue in mammals. The OZ disappears postnatally by modes which are still enigmatic, but can be maintained by treatment with glucocorticoids (GC). Whether the response to GC reflects a pharmacological or a physiological role of GC has not been clarified. Using mice with a conditional deletion of the GC-receptor (GR) gene restricted to cells expressing the dopamine beta hydroxylase (DBH) gene (GR(fl/fl) ; DBHCre abbreviated (GR(DBHC) (re) )) we now present the first evidence for a physiological role of GC signalling in the postnatal maintenance of the OZ: postnatal losses of OZ chromaffin cells in GR(DBHC) (re) mice are doubled as compared to wildtype littermates. We find that postnatal cell loss in the OZ starts at birth and is accompanied by autophagy. In summary, our results indicate that extra-adrenal chromaffin cells in the OZ show signs of autophagy, which accompany their postnatal numerical decline, a process which is controlled by GR signalling.