Studies on the Enzymatic Systems of Rat Adrenals in the Early Postnatal Period: Hydroxylation of Progesterone-4-C14, NADP-linked Dehydrogenase Activity and Reduced Pyridine Nucleotides Content

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Abstract
The capacity of hydroxylating enzymes, the activity of NADP-linked dehydrogenases and the reduced pyridine nucleotide coenzymes content in rat adrenals in the early postnatal period were studied. The capacity of hydroxylating enzymes was determined by the conversion of progesterone-4-14C to corticosterone, 18-hydroxy-11-deoxycorticosterone, 18-hydroxycorticosterone and aldosterone in 13 age groups of rats between the 2nd and the 39th day of life. It was found that the capacity of hydroxylating enzymes around the 16th day is significantly depressed. The activity of NADP-linked dehydrogenases on the other hand, proved very high at this same period, but the reduced pyridine nucleotide content was low. It is inferred that the cause of this lower capacity of hydroxylating enzymes during the period under observation is a deficiency of reduced pyridine nucleotide coenzymes content.