title: Effect of 4-cholesten-3-one on steroidogenesis and morphology of rat adrenal cortex.
abstract: The production of corticosteroids from endogenous precursors was decreased in adrenal glands of male rats fed a diet containing one per cent of 4-cholesten-3-one for 3 and 7 days. In contrast, the conversion of labelled progesterone into corticosteroids was only slightly affected as shown by the increased aldosterone to 18-hydroxydeoxycorticosterone ratio. Morphological method revealed lipoid adrenal hyperplasia developing progressively during the observation period. In the adrenal gland, the content of 4-cholesten-3-one rose slightly and, as shown in the experiment with labelled 4-cholesten-3-one, it can serve only as a weakly effective precursor of corticosteroid biosynthesis. Cholesterol content in the adrenals decreased and lipoid hyperplasia could not be explained therefore by cholesterol accumulation.
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000818:Animals; D002782:Cholestenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002783:Cholestenones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D002782:Cholestenes; D002783:Cholestenones; D011374:Progesterone; C000475:cholest-4-en-3-one; D002784:Cholesterol