Adrenalectomy in young obese (ob/ob) and the diabetic (db/db) mouse slowed body weight
gain. Treatment of adrenalectomized ob/ob mice with cortisone or deoxycorticosterone
acetate (DOCA) significantly increased weight gain in a dose-related manner. Cortisone
had no effect on weight gain of lean mice and treatment with dehydroepiandrosterone
sulfate was without effect on either ob/ob or lean mice. The increment in body weight
of adrenalectomized ob/ob mice treated with corticosterone and DOCA was associated
with an increase in body weight and an increase in food intake. When adrenalectomy
was performed at twenty-three days of age (five days before weaning), animals carrying
the (db/db) genotype remained lighter than their normal littermates. These data document
the importance of the adrenal gland and its steroids for the development and maintenance
of many features of the obese or diabetes mouse.
Genetic Obesity
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Food Intake
