Caspase-3 and Bcl-2 expression in aging in adrenal zona reticularis after dexamethasone administration

Abstract

Adrenocortical cell death by apoptosis is a common finding when adrenocorticotropic hormone is suppressed. Despite the well-known final structural features exhibited by those cells, data on the mechanisms preceding these final events are lacking. In this study, after 3 days of dexamethasone administration to rats of different ages, rat adrenals were processed for immunocytochemical study. In the zona reticularis, there was evidence of the activation of Bcl-2 and caspase-3 proteins. Beyond a small age-related increase in labeled cells, the number of cells presenting colocalization for both proteins was noteworthy. The results confirm the involvement of Bcl-2 and caspase-3 proteins in the apoptotic pathway and suggest their simultaneous intervention. © 2007 New York Academy of Sciences.