Compensatory adrenal growth and steroidogenesis after unilateral adrenalectomy

To examine the effect of unilateral adrenalectomy on compensatory growth and steroidogenesis in the remaining adrenal gland, we determined the tissue concentrations of protein, DNA and corticosterone in the remaining adrenal gland and the circulating corticosterone and ACTH concentrations at 1, 3, 5, 7 and 14 days after unilateral adrenalectomy in male rats. The remaining adrenal weight and total protein content increased steadily over the 14 days after the operation, while the plasma ACTH increased transiently on the 1st day. The adrenal total DNA level was not significantly changed after unilateral adrenalectomy, whereas the protein/DNA ratio was significantly increased by the 14th day. These findings suggest that compensatory growth is not induced by an increase in ACTH and that hypertrophy may occur rather than hyperplasia in the remaining gland. The serum corticosterone levels and corticosterone concentration in the remaining gland were significantly increased by the 3rd day, when the plasma ACTH levels returned to normal. The aldosterone/corticosterone ratio in the remaining gland did not change during the experiment. These results indicate that steroidogenesis stimulating factors other than ACTH may be present and stimulate rather the early stages than the late stages of steroidogenesis under conditions of unilateral adrenalectomy.