No abstract

Male Wister rats weighing 240 ± 2 gm show an average protein and fat content of 41.6 gm, and 13.1 gm. During a period of normal growth, the body weight increases within 14 days to 311 gm, the protein content to 57 gm, and the fat content to 21.7 gm. Several groups of rats were subjected to experimental procedures for 14 days, after having reached a body weight of 240 gm. Administration of protamine zine insulin (12 u/day) greatly enhanced weight gain, and deposition of excess fat, without affecting accumulation of body protein. Cortisone (5 mg/day) produced variable results. Diminished gain of body weight and total body protein occurred in 60% of the animals while accumulation of body fat was normal. Some rats lost weight and body protein but comparatively less fat than animals losing fat due to food restriction. Weight loss was most frequently observed in rats with visible infections. Simultaneous administration of insulin (12 u/day) did not alter the cortisone effect on body protein but markedly increased accumulation of body fat. One hundred twenty units per day accelerated gain of body fat still more. Values were observed comparable to those found in rats receiving insulin only. The amount of total body fat closely paralleled the amount of adipose tissue the composition of which was not significantly altered by any of the hormonal manipulations.

Body composition and histology of the adrenal cortex and the islets of Langerhans were compared in yellow-obese mice, their intact non-obese littermates and their castrated, originally non-obese littermates. In our colony, yellow females were heavier and fatter than males. Obesity developed in yellow mice of both sexes which were fed a commercial diet containing 12% fat. The extractable body fat of the yellow animals was more than twice as high as that of controls. The fat content of gonadectomized animals was significantly higher than that of the yellow obese mice although their average body weight was slightly less. The adrenal cortex of the castrates showed subcapsular hypertrophy, and the islets of the pancreas were enlarged due to hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the beta cells. The literature concerning obesity and adrenal cortical and islet changes, after castration, has been reviewed and the thesis has been discussed that cortical changes after castration stimulate accelerated release of insulin and obesity.

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Spontaneous diabetes mellitus was observed in a rat after injury to the ventromedial hypothalamus. At the time the diabetes was discovered, the animal was extremely obese. Fasting blood glucose was approximately 200 mg/100 ml, daily urinary glucose varied from 12 to 18 g, urinary volume from 280 to 370 ml. The islets of the pancreas showed no pathological changes. The adrenals weighed 108 mg vs. 58 mg control weight. Extensive infected skin lesions were present. The literature concerning diabetes after experimental hypothalamic injury is briefly reviewed.