[Relationship between the quality of dietary proteins and the functional status of the adrenal cortex. Variations in the content of transcortion, free corticosterone and total corticosterone in the blood plasma of rats fed with proteins of various quality].

: Growing male Wistar rats were used to test in which way variations in the quality of dietary proteins (10% absorbable crude protein; casein supplemented with 4% methionine (K); casein/gelatine (1 : 3); maize gluten supplemented with 4 amino acids; and maize gluten) influenced the binding capacity of blood plasma for corticosterone, and the concentration of corticosteroid-binding globulin ("CBG"), total corticosterone, free corticosterone and albumin-bound corticosterone in blood plasma. The binding capacity of the blood plasma for corticosterone and the total concentration of corticosterone, CBG, free corticosterone and albumin-bound corticosterone were found to rise with the improving quality of the dietary proteins (r = 0.830). A close correlation was found to exist between the concentration of total corticosterone in the blood plasma and CBG. Increases in the total concentration of corticosterone in blood plasma are, in 84% of all cases, brought about by increases in CBG concentrations. In conclusion, reference is made to the significance which such results may have for the control of regulatory processes.