Glucocorticoid control of steroidogenesis in isolated rat adrenocortical cells

The role of end-product glucocorticoids in the regulation of corticosteroidogenesis in isolated adrenocortical cells was investigated. Trypsin-isolated cells from male rat adrenal glands were incubated with or without corticotropin (ACTH) and with or without corticosterone. Endogenous corticosterone production was determined by radioimmunoassay at the end of incubation. Cessation of ACTH-induced corticosterone production was apparent after 2-4 h of incubation. The suppression occurred later with lower cell concentrations. Corticosterone production was partially restored after washing the suppressed cells. Supernatant fluid from suppressed cell suspensions also suppressed steroidogenesis of a fresh population of cells. However, the suppressing property of the supernatant fluid was abolished after the removal of corticosterone by charcoal-dextran treatment, suggesting that corticosterone or other steroids caused the suppression. Exogenous corticosterone induced suppression over a wide range of ACTH concentrations, but did not change the half-maximal steroidogenic concentration of ACTH, indicating that the suppression does not change the sensitivity of the cells to ACTH. Suppression occurred within 30-60 min after corticosterone had been added to the incubation medium either at the start of incubation or while steroidogenesis was in progress. Suppression varied directly with the concentration of exogenous corticosterone. These data indicate that glucocorticoids can directly and acutely suppress corticosteroidogenesis and thus control adrenocortical function in concert with other regulators such as ACTH and Ca²⁺.