The rate of blood flow through the intact adrenal gland is closely linked to steroid hormone secretion, and although the mechanism involved is unknown, it is thought to involve secretory products of the vascular endothelium.

In dispersed cell preparations, endothelin-1 and -3 both caused a dose-dependent and highly sensitive increase in steroid secretion by zona glomerulosa and zona fasciculata cells of the rat and human adrenal cortex. In addition, when the perfused rat adrenal was stimulated with ACTH, significant increases in steroid secretion and perfusion medium flow rate were accompanied by significantly increased secretion of immunoreactive endothelin into the adrenal vein. It is proposed that endothelin has a role in mediating the adrenocortical response to ACTH stimulation.

Journal of Endocrinology (1991) 128, 275–280