Acth Inhibits a Ras-Dependent Anti-Apoptotic and Mitogenic Pathway in Mouse Y1 Adrenocortical Cells

Mouse Y1 adrenocortical tumor cells harbor amplified and overexpressed c-Ki-ras gene, displaying relatively high constitutive levels of Ras x GTP. Here we report that Y1 cells also constitutively display high levels of phosphorylated AKT/PKB, that are dependent on Ras x GTP and PI3K. ACTH rapidly causes dephosphorylation of AKT/PKB in a cAMP/PKA dependent maner. This ACTH inhibition of the anti-apoptic and mitogenic AKT/PKB pathway is likely to be relevant in ACTH growth inhibitory effects in Y-adrenocortical cells.