Human adrenal glands secrete vitamin C in response to adrenocorticotrophic hormone

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition 2007-07, Vol.86 (1), p.145-149
• Main Authors: Padayatty, Sebastian J, Doppman, John L, Chang, Richard, Wang, Yaohui, Gill, John, Papanicolaou, Dimitris A, Levine, Mark
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adrenal glands; Adrenal Glands - metabolism; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone - pharmacology; Adult; Aged; ascorbic acid; Ascorbic Acid - blood; Ascorbic Acid - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; blood chemistry; blood veins; corticotropin; cortisol; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Hydrocortisone - blood; Hydrocortisone - physiology; Hyperaldosteronism - blood; Hyperaldosteronism - metabolism; Male; Middle Aged; nutrient intake; nutritional status; paracrine system; secretion; spatial variation; stress tolerance; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/86.1.145

BACKGROUND: When vitamin C intake is from foods, fasting plasma concentrations do not exceed 80 μmol/L. We postulated that such tight control permits a paracrine function of vitamin C. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether paracrine secretion of vitamin C from the adrenal glands occurs. DESIGN: During diagnostic evaluation of 26 patients with hyperaldosteronism, we administered adrenocorticotrophic hormone intravenously and measured vitamin C and cortisol in adrenal and peripheral veins. RESULTS: Adrenal vein vitamin C concentrations increased in all cases and reached a peak of 176 ± 71 μmol/L at 1-4 min, whereas the corresponding peripheral vein vitamin C concentrations were 35 ± 15 μmol/L (P < 0.0001). Mean adrenal vein vitamin C increased from 39 ± 15 μmol/L at 0 min, rose to 162 ± 101 μmol/L at 2 min, and returned to 55 ± 16 μmol/L at 15 min. Adrenal vein vitamin C release preceded the release of adrenal vein cortisol, which increased from 1923 ± 2806 nmol/L at 0 min to 27 191 ± 16 161 nmol/L at 15 min (P < 0.0001). Peripheral plasma cortisol increased from 250 ± 119 nmol/L at 0 min to 506 ± 189 nmol/L at 15 min (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Adrenocorticotrophic hormone stimulation increases adrenal vein but not peripheral vein vitamin C concentrations. These data are the first in humans showing that hormone-regulated vitamin secretion occurs and that adrenal vitamin C paracrine secretion is part of the stress response. Tight control of peripheral vitamin C concentration is permissive of higher local concentrations that may have paracrine functions.