Factors affecting cholesterol esterase and cholesterol side-chain-cleavage activities in rat adrenal

both NADand NADP-linked dehydrogenases utiliz- ing a number of different substrates. The effect was lost when the mitochondria were sonicated and pregnenolone synthesis was supported by either NADPH or isocitrate and NADP+. In these soni- cated mitochondria, pregnenolone synthesis was equivalent to that of whole mitochondria from ACTH-treated animals. The fact that the control sonicated mitochondria produced pregnenolone at the same rate as the non-sonicated mitochondria from ACTH-treated animals suggests the possible release of an inhibition of the desmolase activity after mitochondrial disruption.