Production of 21-deoxyaldosterone by rat adrenal tissue in vitro: evidence for an alternative biosynthetic pathway of aldosterone

Quartered rat adrenal glands transformed labelled 21-deoxyaldosterone into aldosterone in vitro. 21-deoxyaldosterone was released from the quartered rat adrenals in vitro in amounts 10 times lower than those of aldosterone and 18-hydroxycorticosterone. The production of all three steroids was qualitatively dependent on the same regulatory elements (electrolytes, ACTH, exogenous precursors, zonal specificity). However, quantitative differences could be observed. The results support a role for 21-deoxyaldosterone as a facultative precursor of aldosterone and indicate that the regulation of its production shows similarities to that of aldosterone.