Aldosterone Production by Adrenal Cultures Via dbcAMP, and the Reversibility of ACTH and dbcAMP-Induced Changes

Abstract

Tissue cultures of embryonic adrenal glands were treated with dbcAMP, ACTH and Angio-tensin II. dbcAMP and ACTH caused similar elevation in both aldosterone and corticosterone for 17 days in vitro (DIV) but Angiotensin II treated cultures produced no increase in these steroids above control levels. Mitochondria in dbcAMP and ACTH treated cultures had vesicular cristae and were larger than control mitochondria. These enlarged mitochondria also occupied a greater percentage of cytoplasmic space than controls suggesting hypertrophy or hyperplasia of treated mitochondria and not just a change in their internal configuration. The reversibility of dbcAMP- and ACTH-induced changes was also investigated. If dbcAMP or ACTH were removed from the feeding medium, levels of both aldosterone and corticosterone rapidly fell, and approached control baseline values. At the same time, some mitochondria reverted from a packed vesicle to a plate-like configuration. That ACTH may act via cAMP on aldosterone production and als...