The effect of staphylococcal α-toxin on rat liver tryptophan pyrrolase and uridine kinase

Abstract

The administration of crude staphylococcal α-toxin increased the tryptophan pyrrolase activity in the liver of intact rats. The elevation did not occur in adrenalectomized or hypophysectomized animals. The level of uridine kinase was also raised after toxin administration, both in adrenalectomized and hypophysectomized animals but with a different time-course. The enhancement of uridine kinase and its time-dependency was similar after hydrocortisone administration. Actinomycin d which inhibits induction of tryptophan pyrrolase did not substantially influence the enhancement of uridine kinase activity after hydrocortisone. Twenty-two and 46 hr after staphylotoxin administration the level of uridine kinase was still enhanced. The same effect was observed after the administration of inhibitors of protein synthesis.