title: Acute starvation affects rat adrenal steroidogenesis.
abstract: To determine how starvation affects adrenal steroidogenesis we measured the activities of 3 adrenal enzymes involved in corticosterone biosynthesis in a group of adult female rats. The animals were either starved for 7 days or fed ad libitum for the same period. Relative adrenal weight and plasma corticosterone levels were increased in the experimental group of animals compared to the control group (40 +/- 2 vs 27 +/- 1 mg/100 g body weight, P less than 0.001, and 45 +/- 4 vs 30 +/- 5 ng/dl, P less than 0.05 respectively). There were no differences in plasma ACTH levels between the groups (34 +/- 5 vs 26 +/- 4 pg/ml). 11-Hydroxylase activity was increased in the starved group of animals (18 +/- 3 vs 8 +/- 2 nmol/mg protein/min, P less than 0.01). 3 beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 21-hydroxylase activities were not different between the groups (19 +/- 2 vs 16 +/- 1 nmol/mg protein/min, and 100 +/- 10 vs 110 +/- 10 pmol/mg protein/min respectively). These results suggest that acute starvation in rats produces an increase in adrenal 11-hydroxylase activity.
mesh_terms: D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000201:enzymology*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013217:Starvation; D013252:Steroid 11-beta-Hydroxylase / Q000378:metabolism*; D013255:Steroid 21-Hydroxylase / Q000378:metabolism*; D013250:Steroid Hydroxylases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D013250:Steroid Hydroxylases; D013255:Steroid 21-Hydroxylase; D013252:Steroid 11-beta-Hydroxylase; D003345:Corticosterone