Adenosine 3',5'-cyclic phosphate: stimulation of steroidogenesis in sonically disrupted adrenal mitochondria.

Adenosine 3'5'-cyclic phosphate stimulated the conversion of added cholesterol to pregnenolone in "coupled" rat adrenal mitochondria provided with succinate, and in "leaky" mitochondria fortified with reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate. Adenine nucleotides other than adenosine 3',5'-cyclic phosphate did not duplicate these actions. The cyclic nucleotide was also effective in supernatants from sonically disrupted mitochondria. The minimum effective concentration was 50 micromoles per liter or less. The results suggest that adenosine 3',5'-cyclic phosphate stimulates corticosteroidogenesis by activating the mitochondrial enzymes which are rate-limiting in the utilization of cholesterol.