POSTNATAL CHANGES OF ACTIVITY AND ELECTROPHORETIC PATTERN OF JEJUNAL AND ILEAL NONSPECIFIC ESTERASE AND ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE OF THE RAT: EFFECT OF ADRENALECTOMY

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Abstract
During postnatal development of the rat, the activity of nonspecific esterase (substrate, β-naphthyl acetate) in the jejunum and ileum increased. Electrophoresis showed that distribution of this enzyme was different in these two parts of the intestine in the suckling rat, whereas the zymogram was the same for both parts in the adult rat. In intact animals, the degree of inhibition of nonspecific esterase activity by 10−4 M eserin, 5 × 10−8 M di-ethyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate (E.600), and 0.4 M NaCl was different, but there were no differences with any one inhibitor between the jejunum and the ileum of suckling and weanling rats. Adrenalectomy at 7 days of age did not influence the activity of the enzyme, but at 14 days of age it inhibited the rise of activity in jejunum and ileum. Adrenalectomy influenced the sensitivity of nonspecific esterase activity to inhibition by eserin and E.600. When cortisone was administered to adrenalectomized rats, certain characteristics of the enzyme (specific activity, sensitivity to various inhibitors, zymogram) were, in most case, comparable with those of preparations from normal controls.During postnatal development, the activity of alkaline phosphatase (substrate, β-naphthyl phosphate) in the jejunum showed practically no change, but in the ileum it decreased. Change in the zymogram was of the same type in both jejunum and ileum. Adrenalectomy at 7 days of age was followed by a fall in activity in the ileum that was apparent at 14 days of age, but the zymogram was not affected. Adrenalectomy on day 14 did not produce an apparent change by day 21, but there was retention of the earlier electrophoretic pattern. When cortisone was administered to adrenalectomized rats, certain characteristics of the enzyme (specific activity, zymogram) were comparable with those of preparations from normal controls.The results are discussed from the point of view of difference between the jejunum and ileum of suckling animals, and the influence of the adrenal glands.