Adrenal Glands in Vitamin E Deficiency: in vitro Corticoid Synthesis by Quartered Adrenal Glands of Rats deprived of Vitamin E

Abstract

RECENT investigations in this laboratory have indicated an inhibition of corticosterone synthesis in quartered adrenal glands from vitamin E-deficient rats¹. It was also found that adrenal homogenates of the deficient rats, when properly diluted, undergo in vitro lipid peroxidation and formation of malonaldehyde, as determined by the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) test, more readily than any other organ tested^1,2. However, when incubated adrenal quarters instead of homogenates were assayed for lipid peroxidation by the TBA method, there was very little net production of malonaldehyde, but significant inhibition in corticoid synthesis occurred in the quartered adrenals of vitamin E-deficient rats. This is in contrast to other enzymatic inhibitions which have been demonstrated in vitamin E-deficient rats and shown to be associated with the process of in vitro lipid peroxidation^3,4. The various investigations and aspects of in vitro lipid peroxidation in adrenal homogenates of vitamin E-deficient rats will be reported separately. This communication reports preliminary data obtained on corticoid synthesis by the quartered adrenal glands of vitamin E-deficient and sufficient rats.