The anticoordinate changes of pancreatic lipase and colipase activity to amylase activity induced by adrenalectomy in normal and diabetic rats.

The effect of adrenalectomy (Adx) on pancreatic lipase and colipase activities in normal, streptozotocin-induced diabetic, and obese Zucker rats was studied. It was found that Adx induced a rapid decrease in amylase activity, a rapid increase in lipase activity, and a slow increase in colipase activity in normal rats. Twenty days after Adx, the levels of amylase activity were 70% lower than control, whereas the activities of lipase and colipase were 55 and 25% higher than control, respectively. The replacement of hydrocortisone normalized the changes in the three enzyme activities. Injection of insulin partially corrected the amylase activity, but had no significant effect on the activities of lipase and colipase. In streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and obese Zucker rats, amylase activity was decreased, and lipase and colipase activities increased, compared to normal rats. These changes of enzyme activity were further enhanced by Adx. It is concluded that Adx results in an anticoordinate change in pancreatic lipase, colipase, and amylase activities, suggesting that glucocorticoid also influences the synthesis of the pancreatic lipolytic enzymes.