Immunohistochemical distribution of isoenzymes of glutathione transferase in adult rat adrenal gland before and after hypophysectomy.

The distribution of glutathione transferase subunits 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8 in the different cells of the female and male rat adrenal and the effects of hypophysectomy on these isoenzymes were studied using immunohistochemical methods. All these glutathione transferase subunits, with the exception of subunit 1, were present in the adrenal. Each subunit showed, however, its own characteristic distribution pattern. After hypophysectomy, increased staining for these isoenzymes was generally observed, and this effect was also cell-specific. Staining for subunit 2 increased in intensity in the zona fasciculata and reticularis after hypophysectomy, whereas a decrease was observed in the zona glomerulosa. Staining for subunit 8 was increased in the borderline between the capsule and zona glomerulosa, as well as in medullary chromaffin cells after hypophysectomy. The Mu subunits 3 and 4 increased markedly in fascicular and reticular cells after hypophysectomy and staining for subunit 3 was also increased in the medullary cells. A slight, but more general, increase was observed for subunit 7. We conclude from these experiments that the increases in glutathione transferase subunits observed in the rat adrenal after hypophysectomy are due to increased protein synthesis and/or increased protein stability and not to a selective destruction of cells lacking, or with low levels of, the isoenzymes.