Correlation of Pituitary Ribonucleic Acid Levels and ACTH Production Following Adrenalectomy and Cortisone Administration.

Abstract

The concentration of RNA in pituitary tissue was determined following various periods of adrenalectomy and prolonged cortisone treatment. Elevations of pituitary RNA at 1/2 and 48 hours post-operatively correlate with increased tissue content of ACTH reported for the post-adrenalectomy periods. Reduction in the level of tissue RNA following cortisone administration likewise correlates with decreased amounts of ACTH in pituitaries reported after such treatment. The data, utilizing tissue RNA as an index of protein hormone synthetic activity, provide further information that indicate adrenal cortical steroids regulate synthesis of ACTH.