Investigations on the turnover of adrenocortical mitochondria. X. A correlated biochemical stereological study of the effects of chronic treatment with chloramphenicol on the mitochondria of the rat zona fasciculata.

The effects of chloramphenicol (CAP) on rat adrenocortical cells were investigated by biochemical and stereological methods. It was found that administering 50mg/kg of CAP every 12 hours provoked a persistent inhibition of the incorporation of 3H-leucine into mitochondrial proteins. Chronic treatment (up to 15 consecutive days) with this dose of CAP induced a significant decrease in the volume of the mitochondrial compartment, in the surface area of the outer and inner mitochondrial membranes and in the number of mitochondria per cell. These results confirm the hypothesis that the ACTH-induced maintenance of adrenocortical mitochondrial growth requires continuous mitochondrial DNA-dependent protein synthesis.