Reduced amounts of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase in the adrenal glands of rats following administration of piribedil or 2-deoxyglucose.

The activity of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAM-DC) is decreased in the adrenal gland of the rat following physical stress, metabolic stress or administration of dopamine agonists [M. Ekker and T. L. Sourkes, Endocrinology 120, 1299 (1987)]. Immunotitration studies with a serum directed against purified rat liver SAM-DC show that the reduction in activity of the enzyme following administration of 2-deoxyglucose or piribedil was paralleled by a decrease in the amount of immuno-reactive protein. There was no difference in the half-life of SAM-DC activity between piribedil-treated rats and controls. The properties of an extensively purified preparation of the adrenal enzyme resembled those of SAM-DC obtained from rat liver. It is suggested that the reduction in adrenal SAM-DC activity and protein content caused by stress is due to a reduction in the rate of synthesis of the enzyme.