THE EFFECT OF STEROID HORMONES ON THE ABSORPTION OF ANTIBODY BY THE YOUNG RAT

Abstract

SUMMARY Evidence is presented of a relationship, in mice and rats, between adrenocortical steroids, the alkaline phosphatase activity of the duodenum and the ability of the young animal to absorb antibody from the gut. The normal decline in absorptive ability coincides in time with an increase in the duodenal alkaline phosphatase. Both these processes could be induced prematurely by the administration of large doses of deoxycorticosterone acetate (DCA) or cortisone acetate. The initial effect of the administration of cortisone was an increase in antibody absorption; the reduction in absorption which followed was complete after 2 days. Aldosterone, progesterone, testosterone and stilboestrol, in the doses used, had no effect on antibody absorption comparable with that of cortisone or DCA. Maintenance of the young animal away from its mother resulted in a reduction of absorption similar to that resulting from cortisone or DCA administration.