Cortisol secretion and clearance in the rhesus monkey

Cortisol secretory patterns were studied in two chair-adapted rhesus monkeys by simultaneous measurement of plasma concentration and specific activity of cortisol after an iv bolus of 14C-labeled hormone. The results indicated that fluctuating plasma cortisol concentrations are the result of episodic secretion by the adrenal cortex. Specific activity changes during these spontaneous secretory bursts indicated occasional submaximal activity. In addition, cortisol secretory rates calculated during basal (20.4 mug/min) and ACTH-stimulated (28.4mug/min) conditions in a total of seven monkeys were significantly different (P less than 0.05), further demonstrating that spontaneous secretory bursts were usually sub-maximal. From plasma samples collected at 10 min intervals, a cortisol distribution t1/2 of 6 min and a clearance t1/2 of 66 min were found. The apparent volume of distribution for this hormone was 4.8 liters, a value far in excess of extracellular fluid volume estimates. The circadian pattern of plasma cortisol in these monkeys resembled that reported for man, but monkeys had twice as many episodic bursts and over twice the mean cortisol levels as man. However, the 24 h production rate was 10.5 mg, a value within the range of human production.