Expression of the gene for the alpha-subunit of inhibin in human adrenocortical tumours.

Background: To determine whether the pathogenesis of human adrenocortical tumours is associated with variations of inhibin expression, we assayed the mRNA of the alpha-subunit of inhibin in 5 normal adrenals and 48 adrenocortical tumours, including 10 paediatric tumours.

Results: mRNA of alpha-subunit of inhibin was detected in all adrenocortical tissues. It was similarly abundant in the three pathological groups of adult tumours (benign, suspect and malignant) and in normal adrenal tissues, irrespective of the hormonal pattern. However, in paediatric tumours, the levels of the mRNA for the alpha-subunit of inhibin were significantly higher than those in adult tumours (p < 0.01).

Conclusion: Inhibin is more abundant in the foetal than in the adult adrenal cortex and therefore these data suggest that the paediatric tumours may have a foetal pattern.