The effects of the administration of sodium benzoate and diethylstilbestrol disulfate on the nepatic levels of several glucocorticoid-sensitive enzymes in adrenalectomized rats.

1. In a previous study the administration of benzoate, a-naphthoate, diethylstilbestrol disulfate and various aromatic carboxylic acids to adrenalectomized rats was shown to increase hepatic tyrosine transaminase (L-tyrosine:2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase, EC 2.6.1.5) levels several fold. The action of benzoate was strongly inhibited by the concurrent administration of puromycin or actinomycin D. In the present study, the administration of actinomycin D strongly inhibited the increase in tyrosine transaminase activity caused by the administration of diethylstilbestrol disulfate or a-naphthoate to adrenaleetomized rats. In this respect the effect of these aromatic acids resembles that of the glucocorticoids. 2. To further compare the effects of cortisol and the aromatic acids in vivo, several other systems known to be sensitive to the glucocorticoids were examined. Cortisol administration, under the indicated conditions, significantly increased the hepatic levels of glycogen, t ryptophan oxygenase (L-tryptophan:oxygen oxidoreductase, EC i .I3.I .I2), D-amino acid oxidase (D-amino acid:oxygen oxidoreductase (deaminating), EC 1.4.3.3), and L-threonine dehydratase (L-threonine hydro-lyase (deaminating), EC 4.2.1.16). Under equivalent conditions doses of diethylstilbestrol disulfate and benzoate that increased hepatic tyrosine transaminase levels had no effect on hepatic glycogen and tryptophan oxygenase levels. Benzoate had no effect on hepatic D-amino acid oxidase levels, but increased L-threonine dehydratase levels.