The Effect of Adrenal Steroid Hormones on the Protein Content of Tumorous Livers

Protein is basic to the structure and function of protoplasm. Enzyme systems which regulate the rate of cellular reactions are primarily composed of protein and many of these enzymatic systems influence the metabolism of less specialized proteins that form the major structural material of protoplasm. It is believed that experimental procedures which modify protein composition of cells may also influence the activity of intra-cellular enzymes. In experimental live cancer, it has been shown that the activities of a number of oxidative enzymes are modified as the carcinogenic process proceeds (Richmond, 1955, p.38). Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that endocrine function influences carcinogenic processes. Moon, et. al. (1951, p. 539) reported that long-term administration of growth hormone to hypophysectiomized rats did not produce the numerous neoplasms that developed in control rats. Hormones of the adrenal cortex are intimately involved in the regulation of protein metabolism, and Umbriet (1951, p 574) showed that cortisone influences enzyme systems that aid in the degradation of cellular protein. Such studies indicate that more work is needed on the effects of adrenal hormones on protein composition and activity during carcinogenesis. Symeonidis, et. al. (1954, p 811) have reported that certain modifications of adrenal function inhibit liver tumor formations that occurs after the feeding of the azo dye para-dimethylaminoazobenzene (DAB). The present study was undertaken to determine whether modifications in adrenal function would affect the protein composition of the liver of rats fed potent azo dye 3\u27-methly-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (3\u27-Me-DAB). Attempts were made to correlate these findings with changes in enzyme activity that have been reported by other