Potassium and angiotensin II increase the concentrations of phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylinositol, and polyphosphoinositides in rat adrenal capsules in vitro.

We examined the effects of K+ and angiotensin II, the major regulators of aldosterone secretion, on phospholipid metabolism during incubation of glomerulosa-rich, adrenal capsules. Addition of increasing amounts of K+ and angiotensin II to the incubation media elicited progressive increases in corticosterone production and capsular concentrations of phosphatidic acid, phosphatidyl-inositol, and polyphosphoinositides. These effects are similar to those previously reported for ACTH in the whole adrenal cortex. A common mechanism, i.e., activation of the phosphatidate-polyphosphoinositide cycle, may be operative in the action of steroidogenic agents in their target tissues.