CHANGES IN HEPATIC ENZYME LEVELS AFTER ADRENALECTOMY: II GLUCOSE-6-PHOSPHATASE, GLUCOSE-6-PHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE, AND 6-PHOSPHOGLUCONATE DEHYDROGENASE

Abstract

Adrenalectomy caused a decrease in the hepatic levels of glucose-6-phosphatase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. Restoration to normal levels in rats which had been fasted for 18 hours was obtained by treatment with cortisone or corticosterone. In fed animals hydrocortisone and progesterone were also capable of maintaining an elevated level of glucose-6-phosphatase. Cortisone and corticosterone raised the level of this enzyme in fed sham-operated animals, but none of the other steroids showed this effect. The activity of 6-phos-phogluconate dehydrogenase did not change significantly under the influence of adrenalectomy or individual steroid hormones.A comparison is made between the effects of adrenalectomy and starvation upon the level of these enzymes in the liver during a 7-day period.