Adrenocorticotropic hormone-responsive guanylate cyclase in the particulate fraction of rat adrenal glands.

Low concentrations of ACTH, 7 x 10(-12) M, caused a marked stimulation of the 100,000 x g particulate guanylate cyclase without any detectable change in the adenylate cyclase activity. The lowest concentration of the hormone that elicited adenylate cyclase stimulation was 7 x 10(-10) M, a concentration 100--fold higher than that required to stimulate the guanylate cyclase. Although calcium was found to be obligatory in the hormonally--dependent guanylate cyclase activity, calcium alone could not duplicate the ACTH effect. Sodium nitroprusside and ascorbic acid inhibited the particulate guanylate cyclase activity. While ACTH was unable to stimulate the soluble guanylate cyclase, sodium nitroprusside markedly stimulated this enzyme. From these data, we conclude that the adrenal guanylate cyclase exists in two forms, particulate and soluble. The particulate form is specifically responsive to ACTH, and calcium is one of the essential coupling factors of this hormonally--responsive guanylate cyclase.