A B S T R A C T The comparative effects of angiotensin II and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) on cyclic AMP and steroidogenesis were investigated employing isolated bovine adrenal cells from the zona fasciculata. Like ACTH, angiotensin produced a prompt increase in cyclic AMP which preceded the increase in corticosteroid production. Although this increase in cyclic AMP was small when compared to that induced by ACTH, it correlated with the amount of steroidogenesis. This observation is consistent with the view that cyclic AMP is the intracellular mediator of the steroidogenic action of angiotensin.Angiotensin acted synergistically with ACTH on cyclic AMP levels. This synergism was not explained by inhibition of phosphodiesterase activity. Unlike ACTH, angiotensin failed to stimulate adenylate cyclase in broken cell preparations. The observations suggest that more than one mechanism may be involved in effects of ACTH and angiotensin on cyclic AMP levels. 'Abbreviations used in this paper: ACTH, adrenocorticotropic hormone; KRBG, Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate huffer; MIX, genesis through activation of the adenylate cyclase system (1, 2); however, relatively little attention has been focused on the mechanism of action of angiotensin on steroid biosynthesis. Angiotensin has been shown to induce aldosterone synthesis in man (3, 4) and in sheep with adrenal transplants (5), and to stimulate cortisol as well as aldosterone synthesis in isolated bovine adrenals (6, 7) and in the hypophysectomized dog (8, 9). However, attempts to demonstrate an effect of angiotensin on adrenal adenylate cyclase activity (10, 11) or cyclic AMP levels (12) have thus far been unsuccessful.
INTRODUCTIONIn the present study, we have compared the effects of angiotensin and ACTH on adrenal cyclic AMP and steroidogenesis in vitro, utilizing isolated cells from the bovine zona fasciculata. Our results demonstrate that angiotensin increases cyclic AMP levels in cells from the zona fasciculata, and they are consistent with the view that the steroidogenic action of angiotensin in fasciculata cells is mediated through cyclic AMP.
METHODS
Materials. Lot H of the United States Pharmacopeiacorticotropin Reference Standard was used throughout this study. In order to express the doses of ACTH on a molar basis it was assumed that each ampule of the standard contained 1.5 i.v. U (13,14) and that each unit of activity was equivalent to 10 Ag of ACTH (2 X 10-9 mol) (15). Asparaginyl'-valyl' angiotensin II was purchased from Ciba Corp., Summit, N. J. 1 jug is equivalent to 10-' mol.Appropriate dilutions of angiotensin and ACTH were made in acid-albumin-saline (0.6 ml 12N HCl, 1 g bovine albumin, and 8.5 g NaCl/liter of water). Twice crystallized trypsin and bovine serum albumin (BSA) (Cohn fraction V) were obtained from Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, Mo. Lima bean trypsin inhibitor was from Worthington Biochemical Corp., Freehold, N. J. 1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine (SC 2964) was kindly provided by the G. Sayers, Swallow, and Giordano (17). Eight calf adrenals w...