Skip to main content
Biochemical Journal logoLink to Biochemical Journal
. 1974 Nov;144(2):397–402. doi: 10.1042/bj1440397

The effect of adrenocorticotrophin on protein degradation in rat adrenal gland and liver

Jacob A Canick 1,*, Dorothy B Villee 1
PMCID: PMC1168508  PMID: 4376961

Abstract

The rate of adrenal protein degradation appears to be slower in rats to which ACTH (adrenocorticotrophin) has been chronically administered. As measured by the exponential decay of radioactively labelled adrenal protein in vivo, the mean half-lives of total protein and of mitochondrial, microsomal and 18000g-supernatant protein were significantly longer in ACTH-treated animals. Experiments in which either [3H]leucine or NaH14CO3 was used to label proteins showed that of the fractions studied, the effect on mitochondrial protein degradation was most pronounced. The half-lives of the same subcellular fractions in rat liver were not affected by ACTH. The possibility that the results might have been caused by changes in radioisotope reutilization and pool size is discussed.

Full text

PDF

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Arias I. M., Doyle D., Schimke R. T. Studies on the synthesis and degradation of proteins of the endoplasmic reticulum of rat liver. J Biol Chem. 1969 Jun 25;244(12):3303–3315. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Berlin C. M., Schimke R. T. Influence of turnover rates on the responses of enzymes to cortisone. Mol Pharmacol. 1965 Sep;1(2):149–156. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Garren L. D. The mechanism of action of adrenocorticotropic hormone. Vitam Horm. 1968;26:119–145. doi: 10.1016/s0083-6729(08)60753-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Goldberg A. L., Howell E. M., Li J. B., Martel S. B., Prouty W. F. Physiological significance of protein degradation in animal and bacterial cells. Fed Proc. 1974 Apr;33(4):1112–1120. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Greenspan M. D., Purvis J. L. The energy-linked incorporation of diphosphopyridine nucleotide into rat liver mitochondria. Requirements for incorporation. J Biol Chem. 1968 Jun 10;243(11):2921–2927. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Ichii S., Ikeda A., Izawa M., Ota A. Effect of ACTH on turnover of phospholipids in rat adrenal glands. Endocrinol Jpn. 1971 Apr;18(2):169–173. doi: 10.1507/endocrj1954.18.169. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Kimberg D. V., Loeb J. N. Effects of cortisone administration on rat liver mitochondria. Support for the concept of mitochondrial fusion. J Cell Biol. 1972 Dec;55(3):635–643. doi: 10.1083/jcb.55.3.635. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Kuriyama Y., Omura T., Siekevitz P., Palade G. E. Effects of phenobarbital on the synthesis and degradation of the protein components of rat liver microsomal membranes. J Biol Chem. 1969 Apr 25;244(8):2017–2026. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. LOWRY O. H., ROSEBROUGH N. J., FARR A. L., RANDALL R. J. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem. 1951 Nov;193(1):265–275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Millward D. J. Protein turnover in skeletal muscle. I. The measurement of rates of synthesis and catabolism of skeletal muscle protein using (14C)Na2CO3 to label protein. Clin Sci. 1970 Nov;39(5):577–590. doi: 10.1042/cs0390577. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Murakami M., Tonutti E. Submikroskopische Veränderungen der Leydig-Zellen des Rattenhodens nach Behandlung mit Oestrogenen und nach Gonadotropinzufuhr. Endokrinologie. 1966 Dec;50(5):231–250. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Nussdorfer G., Mazzocchi G., Rebonato L. Long-term trophic effect of ACTH on rat adrenocortical cells. An ultrastructural, morphometric and autoradiographic study. Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat. 1971;115(1):30–45. doi: 10.1007/BF00330212. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Pfeiffer D. R., Chu J. W., Kuo T. H., Chan S. W., Kimura T., Tchen T. T. Changes in some biochemical parameters including cytochrome P-450 after hypophysectomy and their restoration by ACTH administration in rats four months post hypophysectomy. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1972 Aug 7;48(3):486–490. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(72)90373-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Purvis J. L., Canick J. A., Mason J. I., Estabrook R. W., McCarthy J. L. Lifetime of adrenal cytochrome P-450 as influenced by ACTH. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1973;212:319–343. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1973.tb47605.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Biochemical Journal are provided here courtesy of The Biochemical Society

RESOURCES