Studies with Corticotropin. I. Isolation, Purification and Properties of β-Corticotropin

60 YEARS OF POMC: N-terminal POMC peptides and adrenal growth

“…The first alternative was an assay developed by Sayers, which was based on the observation that levels of ascorbic acid are depleted in adrenals following treatment with pituitary extracts (Sayers et al 1944). Unknown at the time, it is actually ACTH that causes this effect (the significance of the depletion is still unclear), and with the further development in the 1950s of assays using corticosteroids as the endpoint, the scene was set to identify what we now call ACTH (Bell 1954, Howard et al 1955, Shepherd et al 1956). …”

Effect of ACTH, corticoids and PCN (pregnenolone-16α-carbonitrile) on drug responses and disposition

“…It had only adrenocorticotrophic activity and very small amounts sufficed to maintain the size and function of the adrenals in hypophysectomized rats (Collip et al, 1933,a,b;Li et al, 1943). However, its molecular weight, was very high (about 20,000)-a fact realized only in the early '50s, when a more purified form (with a molecular weight of about 4 500 and an established 39 amino acid sequence) was obtained (Sayers et al, 1943;Bell, 1954, Shepherd et al, 1956.…”

“…Then, a uniform nomenclature was recommended, which listed the first active component (isolated from the pituitary) as a-ACTH and subsequent ones as ß-, -ACTH, etc. (Shepherd et al, 1956;Li, 1959). Unfortunately, this proposition was not widely accepted.…”

Polypeptides of porcine posterior pituitary

“…However, the method of Shepherd et al (117) could be used directly as described; dilutions, when necessary, being made with water. As in ninhydrin analysis, equal volumes of both phases in a tube were taken, or an equal volume of lower phase was added to the sample from a withdrawl series tube.…”

“…Shepherd et al (117) reported that oxycellulose treated "clinical" ACTH gave a slow and a fast moving peak having intermedin (MSH) and cor ticotropin (ACTH) activity. These components would correspond *See footnote of Experiment CCD 52• (2) 4.3+0.9 (2) 2.5+0.3 (4) 14.6+1.3 (5) 23.8+2.…”