Changes in the adrenal glands and other organs of intact and hypophysectomized rats following ACTH and adrenal steroids.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Intact and hypophysectomized rats were injected with ACTH, pitressin, DOCA, cortisone, 9-alpha-fluorohydrocortisone, and combinations of ACTH with these steroids. Adrenal ascorbic acid and cholesterol, gravimetric and histologic changes in several organs as well as in specific adrenal cortical zones were observed. It was found that 9-alpha-fluoro. was the most potent catabolic hormone, showing both gluco- and mineralocorticoid activity, and that the dose of ACTH required to prevent steroid-induced adrenal atrophy was larger for 9-alpha-fluoro.-treated animals than for cortisone-treated animals. Pitressin caused lipid depletion of the zona glomerulosa and ascorbic acid depletion in intact animals but was not effective in maintaining the weight or the normal histology of the adrenal gland in hypophysectomized animals. ACTH provided maintenance of adrenal weight and histology of both hypophysectomized animals and animals chronically treated with high doses of steroid. This effect could be correlated with the dose of ACTH employed. The lipids of the zona glomerulosa were specifically depleted by mineralocorticoids, the lipids of the zona fasciculata by glucocorticoids. These specific zonal effects may be altered with time, by the functional state of the animal, or by the concomitant administration of ACTH with a given steroid. Ulcers, myocardial scarring, pneumonic involvement, fatty livers, renal tubular necrosis and infarction in these animals was found to be conditioned by the state of hyper- or hypoadrenocorticism.