Effects of adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate and guanosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate on 3H-uridine incorporation into glomerulosal cells of hypophysectomized rat adrenal cortex.

The effects of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP on the incorporation of 3H-uridine into glomerulosal cells of hypophysectomized rats were investigated by high resolution autoradiography. The quantitative analysis of autoradiographs shows that cyclic nucleotides, like ACTH, enhance the tracer incorporation into both nuclear and mitochondrial compartments. These findings are discussed in relation to previous results indicating that both cyclic nucleotides function as intracellular mediators of the trophic action of ACTH on the rat adrenal zona glomerulosa. The hypothesis that the mechanism of the glomerulotrophic action of ACTH and cyclic nucleotides involves the stimulation of nuclear and mitochondrial RNA synthesis is discussed.