Effects of hydrocortisone and adrenalectomy on uptake of α-aminoisobutyric acid

Effects of adrenalectomy and hydrocortisone injection on distribution of α-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) were measured in tissues of 16 groups of mice. Administration of hydrocortisone resulted in uniformly increased uptake of AIB by the liver and, less consistently, decreased uptake by lymphoid tissues and increased excretion by the kidneys. Experiments were also conducted which showed that little if any AIB is incorporated into proteins of the mouse. The experiments are consistent with a growing body of evidence that adrenal steroids lead to increased protein synthesis by the liver despite the induction of negative nitrogen balance in the body as a whole.