Pituitary hormone which stimulates the secretion of adrenal cortical steroids and induces growth of the adrenal cortex. Occurs also in female human urine and in serum of pregnant mares. Isoln procedure from swine pituitaries: Sayers et al., J. Biol. Chem. 149, 425 (1943); Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 52, 199 (1943); from sheep pituitaries: Li et al., J. Biol. Chem. 149, 413 (1943); Li, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 74, 2124 (1952); from human pituitaries: Pickering et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta 74, 763 (1963). Purification: Johnson, US 3124509 (1964 to Upjohn). Corticotropin is a single chain polypeptide containing 39 amino acids. The first 24 residues are identical in all species. In vivo studies show that this portion of the peptide chain is responsible for the biological activity and that the remaining residues, while not necessary for the hormonal action, are essential in the species immunological specificity of ACTH. The term α-ACTH is used to distinguish it from the pepsin- or acid-degraded product, β-ACTH. Prepn of active cleavage products by hydrolysis and simultaneous dialysis: Wettstein, Benz, US 2734015 (1956 to Ciba). Amino acid sequence of bovine ACTH: Li et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 80, 2587 (1958); proposed structure of human ACTH: Lee et al., J. Biol. Chem. 236, 2970 (1961). Revised amino acid sequences of porcine and human ACTH: Riniker et al., Nature New Biol. 235, 114 (1972). Revised sequences of ovine and bovine ACTH: Li, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 49, 835 (1972). Synthesis of the revised human corticotropin: Sieber et al., Helv. Chim. Acta 55, 1243 (1972); solid phase synthesis: Yamashiro, Li, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 95, 1310 (1973).
Adrenocorticotropic hormone.
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone