LIVER AMYLASE: THE EFFECT OF NUTRITION AND OF HORMONES

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Abstract
A method is descr. for estimating the activity of liver amylase; it permits study of the effect of hormones on the apparent cone. of the enzyme in mice. In such exps. the nutritional state of the animals had to be rigidly controlled because postprandial elevation of amylase activity was large and widely variable. The variability was minimized by the administration of insulin, which depressed the activity of the enzyme to that of the fasting condition. Thyroxin greatly increased enzymic activity in the fasting state; but immediately after feeding thyrotoxic animals, the amylase dropped temporarily. Epinephrine showed no obvious effect in fasting or fed animals. Liver glycogen was low in both insulin- and thyroxin-treated animals. In general, variations in the glycogen cone, of the liver tended to increase the apparent conc. of liver amylase, whereas in a more steady state of glycogen balance, the activity of amylase remained low or constant. These results suggest that increased enzyme activity regularly accompanies the storage or release of liver glycogen.

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