Effects of chronic hypogonadism on corticosterone secretion and cyclic AMP production in male rat adrenocortical cells.

AIM: To determine the secretion of corticosterone (CCS) both in vivo and in vitro during different intervals after orchidectomy in male rats.

METHODS

Three- and 12-month-old rats had been orchidectomized 0, 3, 6, or 9 months before decapitation.

RESULTS

Orchidectomy increased the concentrations of plasma CCS, the basal release of CCS, and the adenosine 3', 5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) production in rat zona fasciculata reticularis (ZFR) cells. The forskolin/3-isobutyl-l-methylxanthine-stimulated releases of CCS and cAMP production by ZFR cells were higher in rats with chronic hypogonadism. The CCS release from ZFR cells of orchidectomized rat was not altered by 8-bromo-cAMP treatment. Orchidectomy enhanced the stimulatory effect of deoxycorticosterone on CCS release in ZFR cells.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that orchidectomy-related increases of CCS secretion in rats are associated with an increase of adenylate cyclase activity, cAMP generation, and 11-beta-hydroxylase activity in ZFR cells.