ÜBER DEN EINFLUSS DES ALLOXANDIABETES AUF DEN CORTISON-STOFFWECHSEL IN DER RATTENLEBER

Abstract

ABSTRACT In liver slices of alloxandiabetic rats the rate of the δ4-5α-hydrogenase-catalyzed cortisone reduction is diminished. The decrease is more pronounced in females than in males; in male rats diabetes causes a significant increase in the δ4-5α-hydrogenase-activity present in microsomal fractions, while in diabetic females the activity of this enzyme is within the normal range. Since with microsomal fractions obtained from livers of diabetic rats and supplemented with a TPNH-generating system the rate of hydrogenation of cortisone is unchanged or even elevated it is concluded that the decreased cortisone reduction in diabetic liver slices cannot be accounted for by a lowered activity of the microsomal δ4-5α-hydrogenase but can be explained by the inability of the diabetic liver cell to supply sufficient TPNH for a normal cortisone reduction rate.