Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 8, 2026
Modeling Brain Metastasis Via Tail-Vein Injection of Inflammatory Breast Cancer Cells
Published on: February 4, 2021
Vagus nerve regulates breast cancer metastasis to the adrenal gland
Nuray Erin1, Güliz Akdas Barkan, Gary A Clawson
1Department of Medical Pharmacology, Akdeniz University School of Medicine, Antalya Turkey. nerin@akdeniz.edu.tr.
Background:
Metastasis of breast cancer to adrenal glands may alter neuroendocrine functions which increase the severity of the disease. In this study the role of vagus nerve activity in adrenal metastases was examined.
Materials And Methods:
48 Balb/c mice (n=48) were divided into four groups; control, sham-operated, right vagotomy or left vagotomy. Vagotomies were performed one week before orthotopic injection of 4THM breast carcinoma cells and the degree of adrenal metastasis was assessed.
Results:
In control animals, besides extensive metastases within and around the adrenal, 70% loss of medulla was observed which was significantly more than cortical loss. Sham operation by itself significantly decreased both the extent of metastases and medullary loss. Compared to sham group, vagotomy increased intra- and extra-adrenal metastasis. There was laterality in the regulation of metastasis by the vagus nerve, such that the right adrenal gland was affected the most.
Conclusion:
Vagus nerve activity may reduce adrenal metastasis as well as tumor-induced alterations of adrenal functions.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Sympathetic Pathways: Collateral Ganglia and Adrenal Medulla
Collateral Ganglia
Sympathetic preganglionic axons reach the collateral ganglia along the route of splanchnic nerves. These nerves bypass the sympathetic trunk and communicate with sympathetic postganglionic neurons housed in the prevertebral ganglia. These ganglia supply the organs of the abdominopelvic cavity.
The greater splanchnic nerve, formed by the...
01:27Adrenal Gland Disorders
Adrenal insufficiency, characterized by insufficient cortisol and aldosterone production, leads to conditions like Addison's disease. This disorder, affecting the adrenal cortex, exhibits symptoms such as skin bronzing, dehydration, low blood pressure, fatigue, and weight loss. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a genetic ailment causing...
01:31Hormones of the Adrenal Glands
The adrenal cortex, a powerhouse of hormone synthesis, generates over two dozen corticosteroid hormones. The zona glomerulosa produces mineralocorticoids, exemplified by aldosterone, influencing the electrolyte composition of body fluids. The synthesis of glucocorticoids such as cortisol and corticosterone...
01:17Anatomy of the Adrenal Glands
These glands possess a distinctive yellow tinge due to the stored cholesterol and fatty acids required for hormone synthesis. They are encased in a fibrous capsule and cushioned by fat.
The adrenal gland comprises two distinct regions...
02:30Metastasis
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or EMT is a developmental process commonly observed in wound healing, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. EMT is induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) or receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) ligands, which further...
01:25The Sympathetic Nervous System