THE EFFECT OF ACTH, RENIN, ANGIOTENSIN II, AND VARIOUS PRECURSORS ON BIOSYNTHESIS OF ALDOSTERONE BY ADRENAL SLICES

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Abstract
The effects of various precursors on biogenesis of aldosterone were studied with slices of beef adrenal cortex, and with sections of rat adrenal. Acetate, mevalonate, and cholesterol were without effect, whereas progesterone, desoxycorticosterone, and corticosterone induced significant increases in aldosterone synthesis. ACTH and angiotensin II stimulated synthesis of aldosterone, corticosterone, and cortisol by beef slices, whereas only ACTH had a significant effect upon aldosterone and corticosterone synthesis by rat sections. ACTH stimulated aldosterone secretion with exogenous cholesterol, had no effect with exogenous progesterone, and significantly diminished secretion with exogenous desoxycorticosterone and corticosterone. Angiotensin II stimulated aldosterone secretion with exogenous cholesterol but had no effect with exogenous progesterone or corticosterone. The data are consistent with the view that ACTH and angiotensin can influence steroidogenesis at the level of cholesterol. These results do not establish a physiologic role for angiotensin.