Investigations on the turnover of adrenocortical mitochondria. XI. Effects of dexamethasone on the half-life of mitochondria from the rat zona fasciculata.

The effects of dexamethasone on the half-life of rat adrenocortical mitochondria were investigated by high resolution autoradiography and liquid scintillation spectroscopy. According to the method employed, the half-life averaged 11.27 and 10.46 days. Dexamethasone was found to decrease significantly this parameter (to about 5 days). Since dexamethasone-treated rats can be regarded as pharmacologically hypophysectomized animals, the data indicates that ACTH is involved in the maintenance of the half-life of adrenocortical mitochondria.