Blood Glucose and Corticosterone Changes Accompanying Altered Lipid Metabolism Induced by Exposure to Acceleration Stress

Summary

Fasted, male, Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 4.7 g for periods of time up to 24 hours. Plasma glucose, plasma corticosterone, liver lipids, and incorporation of acetate-1-C¹⁴ into fatty acids in liver slices were followed in rats exposed for periods of 1–24 hours. Plasma glucose and plasma corticosterone curves were bimodal showing an early maximum during the first 3 hours of exposure and rising after 5 hours through the 24-hour study. During the second rise the greatest changes in lipid metabolism were noted as a decrease in liver lipid and an increase in fatty acid synthesis. The responses evoked by the stress were abolished by hypophysectomy or adrenalectomy. It is concluded that changes in fat metabolism induced by acceleration stress were mediated, in part, by changes in levels of circulating glucose, corticosterone, or the interaction of both.