THE LOCAL ACTION OF ADRENOCORTICAL STEROIDS ON EPIDERMIS AND CONNECTIVE TISSUE OF THE SKIN¹

Abstract

HYPERACTIVITY of the adrenal cortex induced by treatment of rats with ACTH results in a general suppression of growth. In the skin, the epidermis becomes thinner, hair stops growing and the dermal connective tissue assumes a more compact arrangement (Baker, Ingle, Li and Evans, 1948). These effects appear to be mediated by C-11 oxygenated steroid which are secreted by the adrenal glands. If one of these compounds, cortisone, or an extract of the adrenal cortex is applied directly to the skin, similar changes are induced locally in the epidermis and hair follicles (Baker and Whitaker, 1948). In these early short-term experiments consistent changes in the connective tissue were not observed but, subsequently, it was demonstrated that adrenocortical extract inhibits growth of granulation tissue by local action (Baker and Whitaker, in press). This report deals with the cutaneous modifications elicited by prolonged local treatment of non-traumatized skin with adrenocortical compounds. The experiments had two general purposes: (1) to observe the changes occurring in the epidermal cells and fibro-elastic connective tissue of the dermis and (2) to find out if a refractory state will develop toward the local action of adrenocortical steroids in rats treated for long periods of time.