Further observations on the role of the adrenal cortex in the metabolism of amino acids.

Abstract

PREVIOUS data derived from the measurement of urea formation in nephrectomized rats have been interpreted to indicate that the adrenal cortex was not concerned in the catabolism of amino acids (Engel, Schiller and Pentz, 1949; Bondy, Engel and Farrar, 1949). Neither adrenal cortical extract nor previous adrenalectomy were found to have any measurable effect on the rate of urea formation during a 3–4 hour period following the intravenous administration of amino acids. Indeed, our results were interpreted as indicating that the intravenous administration of amino acids actually suppressed the catabolism of endogenous protein that occurred after administration of cortical extract. Bondy (1949) showed indisputably that adrenal extract had an effect on peripheral protein by demonstrating an increased accumulation of amino acids in the plasma of eviscerated rats treated with adrenal extract. This has been confirmed in cortisone-treated eviscerated rats (Ingle, 1950). Both the accelerated accumulation of amino acids