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Biomedical subjects

R L Ney

Publications and source records attributed to R L Ney.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Abnormal regulation of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate and corticosterone formation in an adrenocortical carcinoma.

A spontaneously occurring rat adrenocortical carcinoma which produces corticosterone was maintained by transplantation. The carcinoma appeared to utilize corticosterone biosynthetic steps similar to those of the normal adrenal, but the tumor produced only about 1-10% as much corticosterone per unit tissue weight as nontumorous adrenal glands. The tumor demonstrated little or no increase in corticosterone production in response to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) either in vivo or in vitro. In normal adrenals, ACTH increases the activity of adenyl cyclase which catalyzes the conversion of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to adenosine-3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP), the latter then serving as an intracellular regulator of steroidogenesis. ACTH failed to increase cyclic AMP levels in the tumor in vivo or in slices in vitro, conditions under which there were 50- and 20-fold increases in nontumorous adrenals. However, in homogenates fortified with exogenous ATP, adenyl cyclase activity was comparable in the tumor and adrenals, and cyclic AMP formation was increased 3-fold by ACTH in each. As measured in homogenates, the tumor did not possess a greater ability to destroy cyclic AMP than did normal adrenals. Although ATP levels in the carcinoma were found to be considerably lower than those in normal adrenals, it was not clear that this finding can explain the inability of ACTH to increase cyclic AMP levels in intact tumor cells. While the failure to normally influence cyclic AMP levels in the carcinoma cells could be an important factor in the lack of a steroid response to ACTH, several lines of evidence suggest that the tumor possesses one or more additional abnormalities in the regulation of steroidogenesis. First, in the absence of ACTH stimulation, the tissue concentrations of cyclic AMP were comparable in the tumor and in nontumorous adrenals, but these cyclic AMP levels were associated with a lower level of steroidogenesis in the tumor. Second, tumor slices failed to increase corticosterone production when incubated with cyclic AMP, in contrast to 5-fold increases observed with nontumorous adrenals.

Adenine Nucleotides↗

A study of mechanisms by which adrenocorticotropic hormone maintains adrenal steroidogenic responsiveness.

Following hypophysectomy in the rat, there was a progressive decline in the rate of adrenal protein synthesis in vivo during the ensuing 24-48 hr, and an accompanying decrease in the acute corticosterone secretory response to an intravenous injection of ACTH. There was a similar decrease in the in vitro conversion of Delta(5)-pregnenolone, progesterone, and deoxycorticosterone to corticosterone. These in vivo and in vitro effects of hypophysectomy could be reversed by the administration of depot ACTH for an additional 7 hr period. However, if cycloheximide, an inhibitor of protein synthesis, was administered concomitantly with the depot ACTH, then the restorative actions of ACTH on the steroid biosynthetic pathway were prevented. These experiments suggest that ACTH maintains not only the general structure of the adrenal cortex, but also the level of the steroid biosynthetic mechanism, through its effects on adrenal protein synthesis.

Adrenal Glands↗

Heterogeneity of templae RNA in adrenal glands.

Template RNA in adrenal glands appears to be heterogeneous in stability. The RNA that regulates synthesis of a large fraction of adrenal protein has a turnover time of 4 hours or less. The remainder of adrenal-protein synthesis, including synthesis of protein that mediates the rapid steroidogenic response to ACTH, depends on RNA with considerably greater stability.

Adrenal Glands↗

Puromycin analogs: action of adrenocorticotropic hormone and the role of glycogen.

The effect of the injection into rats of analogs of puromycin, 6-dimethylaminopurine, and the aminonucleoside of puromycin on the stimullation of steroidogenesis by adrenocorticotropic hormone was coin pared with that of puromycin and cycloheximide. This stimulation was blocked only by the antibiotics, which also inhibited adrenal protein synthesis. Glycogenolysis is not associated with the primary mechanism of the adrenocorticotropic hormone stimnulation of steroid hormone biosynthesis in rats.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗