Involvement of the Adrenal Cortex in the Appearance of Rat Slow Alpha₂-Globulin

Abstract

SLOW α₂-globulin (SA₂G) is a protein which can be demonstrated by vertical starch-gel elertrophoresis to be present in the blood serum of the rat in certain physiological, pathological and experimental situations: during pregnancy^1–3 and lactation³, in the foetal^1,3,4 and neonatal^1–4 states; in rats bearing growing neoplasms^1,2,5; in the presence of infections or inflammations⁶; after partial hepatectomy^7,8, splenectomy or unilateral renalectomy⁹; and following the administration of carbon tetrachloride⁷, various bacterial lipopolysaccharides (endotoxins)^10,11, complete or incomplete Freund's adjuvant¹¹, turpentine¹², or certain metallic salts¹³. It generally cannot be demonstrated by this technique, however, in healthy, non-pregnant adult rats^1–4, nor after clean laparotomies⁷, partial limb amputations⁹, or heavy doses of ionizing radiation¹⁴. Consequently, we define the SA₂G effect as being the appearance of demonstrable levels of SA₂G in response to a competent stimulus. In view of the broad range of competent stimuli for the SA₂G effect, a search for a common factor or controlling agent was undertaken. The present work indicates that the adrenal cortex is intimately involved in the appearance of the SA₂G effect provoked by at least one of the competent stimuli and may be a controlling factor.