Effect of adrenalectomy and hypophysectomy on responses of rat liver enzymes to high-protein diets

Abstract

Although many enzymes are increased by either a high-protein diet or cortisol adminstration, there was no evidence of a glucocorticoid requirement for the high-protein mediated increases. This was particularly noticeable for enzymes markedly increased by feeding a high-protein diet. Neither adrenalectomy nor hypophysectomy prevented the diet-mediated increases, although in certain instances the responses were decreased. Many enzymes which were unaffected or decreased in the intact rat by feeding a high-protein diet had markedly different responses after endocrine removal. There did not appear to be a general or simple pattern of these altered responses. Therefore predictions on possible activity changes could not be made, except for those enzymes normally increased by a high-protein diet on the basis of metabolic function or hormonal effects. Possible hormonal controls of these changes in enzyme activity are discussed.