Prostacyclin: a potent stimulator of adrenal steroidogenesis.

The relative potencies of various prostaglandins were investigated in trypsin-dispersed cat adrenocortical cells. Prostacyclin proved to be the most potent steroidogenic prostaglandin, being 100-1000 times more potent than PGE2. This stimulant effect of prostacyclin was only partially dependent upon the presence of extracellular calcium and was associated with increased levels of cyclic AMP. These data suggest a possible role for prostacyclin in corticosteroidogenesis.