THE METABOLISM OF AMINO ACIDS AND PROTEIN IN THE ADRENALECTOMIZEDNEPHRECTOMIZED RAT¹

Abstract

In the preceding paper data were presented on the nature of the protein catabolic effect of adrenal cortical extract in nephrectomized rats (Engel, Schiller and Pentz, 1949). It was shown that the intravenous injection of glucose or amino acids 2 to 3 hours after adrenal cortical extract inhibited or masked the usual stimulation of nitrogen metabolism that occurred after administration of this hormone. It was further demonstrated that cortical hormone did not stimulate the conversion of injected amino acids to urea whereas it did stimulate urea formation after the injection of albumin. The latter effect was inhibited if glucose was given with the protein. It was concluded that in its action on protein metabolism and gluconeogenesis the adrenal cortex did not detectably influence the rate of deamination of amino acids but did intervene at the level of protein degradation itself.