Mary E. Dumm

Relation of Pantothenic Acid to Adrenal Cortical Function

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the effects of pantothenic acid on adrenal function. Pantothenic acid is widely distributed in both plant and animal cells, occurring both in the free and conjugated form. Pantothenic acid will affect both the structure and the function of the adrenal cortex. Changes in adrenocortical function are suggested by the decrease in adrenal cholesterol concentration in pantothenate deficiency. An additional evidence of impaired adrenocortical function in pantothenate deficiency is provided by the abnormal response of animals to various types of stress stimuli. The effects of pantothenate deficiency on the metabolism of tissues other than the adrenal cortex may contribute to the abnormal responses elicited by stress. Adding large amounts of calcium pantothenate to the diet will modify some of the responses of intact and adrenalectomized rats and of normal human subjects to certain types of stress. The physiological changes associated with the level of pantothenic acid in the diet reflect the critical role of pantothenic acid, as part of coenzyme A, in the intermediary metabolism of all cells, particularly those of the adrenal cortex.

Glucose Utilization and Lactate Production by Leucocytes of Patients with Diabetes Mellitus.

Summary Glucose utilization and lactate production have been measured in suspensions of leucocytes in plasma from normal human subjects and from patients with diabetes mellitus. The rate of glucose utilization was significantly lower in leucocytes from severe diabetics than in leucocytes from normal human subjects. Lactate production did not differ significantly between normal and diabetic subjects. In more than three-fourths of the experiments on diabetics and about one-half the experiments on normal subjects, glucose utilization by leucocytes was increased by insulin in vitro.Lactate production was not increased when insulin was added in vitro.

Influence of adrenalectomy and gonadectomy on capacity of rats to excrete an acid load.

Summary Excretion of ammonia and of titrable acid after an acid load has been measured in intact male and female rats and in male and female rats after adrenalectomy and after adrenalectomy plus gonadectomy. After adrenalectomy, female rats excreted significantly more ammonia and more titrable acid than did males. When both the adrenals and the gonads were removed, the females excreted more ammonia than did the males, but there was no significant difference in the excretion of titrable acid between the males and the females. The adrenalectomized-gonadectomized rats were treated with either progesterone or testosterone and the capacity to handle an acid load measured. The excretion of both ammonia and titrable acid was approximately the same for both males and females after therapy with either hormone.

Effect of pantothenate deficiency on synthesis of adrenal cholesterol following stress.

Summary The adrenal cholesterol of pantothenate deficient rats was significantly depressed compared to that of control animals on a normal diet. After the stress of unilateral adrenalectomy, the cholesterol content of the remaining adrenal decreased immediately in both diet groups. By 24 hours after unilateral adrenalectomy, the adrenal cholesterol of the normal rats had returned to its initial value; in the deficient rats adrenal cholesterol remained depressed up to 7 days after the stress. The data are interpreted as evidence that the synthesis of adrenal cholesterol is decreased in pantothenate deficiency.

Relation of pantothenic acid to white blood cell response of rats following stress.

Summary The responses of white blood cells and lymphocytes following swimming and following ACTH were compared in rats on a complete diet, in rats on a pantothenic acid deficient diet, and following swimming only in rats recovering from a period of pantothenic acid deficiency. A typical lymphopenia occurred 2 hours after either swimming or ACTH in rats on the complete diet. This response was partially abolished following either swimming or ACTH in the rats on the pantothenate deficient diet. In rats recovering from pantothenate deficiency, there was an increase in lymphocytes 2 hours after swimming followed by a decrease at 4 hours. These results are interpreted as a reflection of the changes in the adrenal cortex induced by pantothenic acid deficiency.

Simplified technic for partial hepatectomy in rats with fatty livers.

Summary A method is described for partial hepatectomy in the rat which is applicable to animals with fatty livers. It was found that in rats with enlarged livers, due to fatty infiltration, the relation of the weights of the various lobes to one another and to the total liver weight was similar to that in normal rats. Apparently, the individual lobes maintain their relationship in spite of fatty infiltration.

Effect of hypophysectomy on pigmentation and ascorbic acid excretion in black rats.

Summary Pigmentation was observed in black rats following hypophysectomy, similar to the pigmentation occurring in black rats following adrenalectomy. The adrenals of the hypophysectomized rats were smaller than normal, with atrophic cortices. Excretion of ascorbic acid decreased to low levels following hypophysectomy. The increase in pigmentation is believed to be related to the derangement of the steroid hormones of the adrenal cortex of the hypophysectomized rat.