EFFECT OF THYROIDECTOMY AND HYPOPHYSECTOMY ON PLASMA HEXOSAMINE LEVELS IN THE RAT¹

Abstract

THE plasma hexosamine level increases following various nonspecific stressful stimuli. It has been found increased in many clinical diseases (West and Clarke, 1938; Boas and Soffer, 1951) and following body injury to experimental animals (Boas and Peterman, 1953). Some clinical evidence has indicated that plasma hexosamine levels may be influenced by the endocrine glands. The abnormally elevated hexosamine levels seen with a number of clinical diseases can be lowered under the influence of ACTH or cortisone (Boas and Soffer, 1951; Boas, Ludwig and Soffer, 1952). Elevated levels of serum mucoprotein (contains hexosamine) have been described in cases of severe myxedema (Mancini, Garberi and de la Baize, 1951). Studies were performed to evaluate the role of the endocrine system in the regulation of plasma hexosamine levels, and to determine whether observed increases in hexosamine could be correlated with plasma volume changes. methods