EFFECTS OF CORTISONE UPON LIVER ENZYMES AND PROTEIN SYNTHESIS

¹ Department of Pharmacology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri

Administration of cortisone to rats maintained on a protein-free diet prevented some changes which occur in the livers of animals maintained on a protein-free diet only. Specifically, the effects of cortisone revealed by the present study were:

1. To increase the protein content and the relative weight of the liver of animals on an adequate diet while marked growth arrest was occurring.

2. To maintain the protein content and to increase the relative weight of the liver of animals on a protein-free diet.

3. To maintain the activity of liver xanthine oxidase and D-amino acid oxidase at normal or above normal levels in animals on an adequate or a protein-free diet.

4. To inhibit the oxidation of -ketoglutarate by liver mitochondria regardless of diet, while P/O ratios remained in normal ranges.

5. To increase liver mitochondrial protein regardless of diet.

6. To decrease the extractable mitochondrial RNA ribose in the presence of an adequate diet.