The influence of adrenalectomy and of cortisone treatment on arginase and esterase activities in liver tissue

Abstract

1. 1. Liver biopsies were carried out on fed adult rats before and after adrenalectomy and before and after cortisone injections. The effect of this treatment on the levels of hepatic arginase and esterase in extracts prepared from the excised tissue was investigated. 2. 2. Adrenalectomy caused a substantial reduction in the arginase activity which was restored to the normal level after cortisone injections. The latter also stimulated the arginase activity in the liver of normal animals. 3. 3. A slight fall in arginase activity was also observed in control experiments in which biopsies were carried out without previous adrenalectomy or hormone treatment. The fall was due to the repeated removal of very, small amounts of tissue during biopsies, but not to operational shock. When extensive liver damage was inflicted deliberately, the arginase activity was subsequently stimulated. This was interpreted as being the result of extensive regenerating processes in the liver tissue, and is in accordance with similar observations by other workers. 4. 4. The influence of cortisone on hepatic arginase is discussed in the light of the well known stimulating effect of adrenal hormones on tissue metabolism in general. 5. 5. The hepatic esterase activity was also greatly reduced after adrenalectomy, but only minor changes were observed after cortisone injections.