Tryptophan Pyrrolase Induction and the Influence of Adrenocorticoids1

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Abstract
The role of beef adrenocortical extract, hydrocortisone, and desoxycorticosterone acetate in the substrate-induced increase in hepatic tryptophan pyrrolase activity has been investigated in the adrenalectomized rat. Removal of the adrenals was shown to diminish the ability of the liver to form tryptophan pyrrolase following tryptophan injection. Under dosage and time conditions in which hydrocortisone and the adrenocortical extract did not act as inducers, it was demonstrated that they permitted the quantitative response to substrate administration to return to normal; desoxycorticosterone was found to be ineffective. The results have been interpreted as an example of the “permissive” action of the adrenocortical secretory product.