Studies on rat adipose tissue in vitro. 7. Effects of adrenal cortical hormones.

The existence of adrenal cortical effects upon the metabolism of lipids is well substantiated, although their biochemical mechanism is as yet poorly understood (l-4). Perhaps the most striking demonstration of this relationship concerns hepatic synthesis of fatty acids, as illustrated by the experiments carried out by Brady et al. in 1951 (5, 6). These authors observed that the impaired lipogenesis from acetate, found in liver slices obtained from pancreatectomized cats, was returned toward normal by superimposed adrenalectomy or hypophysectomy. On the other hand, the administration of cortisone to normal animals markedly depressed lipogenesis from acetate by subsequently isolated liver tissue. More recently, Ashmore et al. (7) demonstrated that adrenalectomy restores toward normal the depressed lipogenesis from pyruvate of liver slices obtained from alloxandiabetic rats. Conversely, the administration of cortisone to these diabetic adrenalectomized animals re-established depressed hepatic lipogenesis from pyruvate. These observations, suggesting the presence of a direct glucocorticoid effect upon lipogenesis, led to the studies presented here. Since it is now well recognized that adipose tissue is a major site of lipid synthesis and release (g-lo), and is exquisitely sensitive to several hormones, it appeared of interest to test in this tissue the hypothesis of a direct adrenal cortical effect upon lipid and carbohydrate metabolism.