Rats which have an excess of
ACTH,
growth hormone and
prolactin from a pituitary mammotropic
tumor (MtT) show a marked growth of adrenal glands, liver, spleen and kidneys.
Protein,
DNA,
RNA and cell numbers were increased in liver, adrenal glands, spleen and decreased in thymus of
tumor bearing rats as compared to intact rats. MtT
tumor decreased
glycogen deposition in liver, adrenal glands, thymus and pituitary of MtT
tumor bearing rats. Adrenal glands of intact and MtT
tumor bearing rats incubated in vitro with 4-14C
progesterone synthetized radioactive 11-deoxycorticosterone,
corticosterone,
18-hydroxy-11-deoxycorticosterone, 18-hydroxy-corticosterone, 11-dehydro-corticosterone and
aldosterone. Intact adrenals synthetized in vitro per mg tissues 60% higher amount of
corticosteroids than adrenal glands of MtT
tumor bearing rats. These results show that
pituitary hormones from MtT
tumor have multicellular effects. They increased
nucleic acid content, cell multiplication and depressed
steroid hydroxylation in adrenal mitochondria and
glycogen deposition in some tissues of MtTF4 rats.