Effects of ethanol and acetaldehyde on the rat adrenal

A pseudoCushing syndrome, indistinguishable from true Cushing syndrome except that it disappears with abstinence from alcohol, is known to occur in alcoholics. An animal model was used to study this syndrome in vitro, as earlier studies have shown that ethanol administration to animals increases corticosterone secretion. Such secretion appears to be the result of ethanol-induced ACTH secretion. We have examined the effects of ethanol and acetaldehyde on the production of three steroids: corticosterone, progesterone, and androstenedione in the isolated perfused rat adrenal. The adrenal glands and left kidney of rats were perfused with medium and one of the following additions: ethanol, acetaldehyde, ACTH or ACTH with either ethanol or acetaldehyde. The amount of the three steroids in the adrenal and the perfusion effluent was determined and compared to that of nonperfused adrenal glands. We found that perfusion with medium alone increased the production of each steroid (p less than 0.05) in the presence of ethanol or acetaldehyde. Assay of the medium before and after perfusion showed no ACTH, so that the increased steroid production cannot be ascribed to ACTH contamination. Furthermore, the addition of ACTH to perfusion medium which contained ethanol or acetaldehyde did not further enhance the responses.