Aging of the rat adrenocortical cell: response to ACTH and cyclic AMP in vitro.

To study intrinsic age-related changes in adrenocortical steroid production, cells isolated from rats of different ages (3 to 24 months) were used. Acute (2 hour) corticosterone production in response to stimulation by adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) was measured by radioimmunoassay. With age, adrenocortical cells lose much of their ability to produce corticosterone in the absence or presence of ACTH or cAMP. The loss is progressive from 6 to 24 months of age. Analysis of the data suggests that from 6 to 12 months, an intracellular steroidogenic lesion develops; in addition there may be a loss in ACTH receptors on the plasma membrane. After 12 months these defects increase and are accompanied by a decrease in receptor sensitivity to ACTH.