Subcellular distribution of 3H--hydrocortisone and its metabolites in the liver and kidneys of normal and alloxan diabetic rats.

Subcellular distribution of 3H-hydrocortisone and its metabolites in the liver and kidney of intact and alloxan diabetic rats was investigated. Ten minutes after the administration of this hormone several metabolites (mostly tetrahydrocortisol) and the native hormone were found in liver cytosol, microsomes, mitochondria and nuclei, the relative content of individual compounds in various subcellular fractions being different. In liver mitochondria, microsomes and nuclei of alloxan diabetic rats the concentration of tetrahydrocortisol was decreased, while that of native hormone was increased as compared to normal animals. It was suggested that such changes found in diabetic animals may be one of the causes of increased sensitivity of transcription and translation processes to glucocorticoids. In kidney cytosol and microsomes of intact rats cortisone and tetrahydrocortisol were found. In diabetic animals, however, the concentration of tetrahydrocortisol increased, while that of cortisone was undetectable.