OBSERVATIONS ON THE INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INSULIN, THE ADRENAL CORTEX AND NON-SPECIFIC STRESS (COLD) IN ADIPOSE TISSUE GLYCOGEN SYNTHESIS IN THE RAT

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Abstract
The concn. of glycogen in the interscapular adipose tissue of fasted adrenalectomized rats maintained on a constant dose of cortisone and receiving a fixed amt. of glucose by stomach tube increased in direct proportion to the logarithm of the dose of insulin. Blood sugar and liver glycogen concns. decreased with increasing doses of insulin. The concn. of glycogen in the interscapular adipose tissue of fasted adrenalectomized rats receiving a constant dose of insulin and glucose was not influenced by the amt. of cortisone admn. Liver glycogen and blood sugar levels increased with the dose of cortisone. Exposure of normal fasted rats to 4[degree]C for 48 hrs. had no influence on the levels of interscapular adipose tissue and liver glycogen or blood sugar after admn. of glucose. However, insulin stimulated a striking increase in the interscapular adipose tissue glycogen concn. of the cold-stressed rats compared to control animals at room temp. Blood sugar levels were lower after insulin in rats exposed to cold. Exposure of cortisone-maintained adrenalectomized rats to 4[degree]C for 24 hrs. did not modify the concn. of interscapular adipose tissue glycogen after insulin and glucose compared to similar animals kept at room temp. Liver glycogen and blood sugar levels were significantly lower in the cold-stressed cortisone-maintained adrenalectomized rats given insulin and glucose. It was concluded that among those studied insulin is the most important variable in determining the concn. of glycogen in adipose tissue.