Adrenal-dependent effect of 4,4'-methylenedianiline on endometrial carbonic anhydrase

¹ Department of Physiology, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Nagasaki, Japan

The effect of 4,4'-methylenedianiline on the endometrial carbonic anhydrase of rabbits was investigated. A marked increase in the carbonic anhydrase of the uterine endometrium could be induced by treatment of Clauberg rabbits with methylenedianiline, the degree being characteristic of graded doses administered. Methylenedianiline also exerted a typical activation of the endometrial enzyme even in ovariectomized rabbits. However, with adrenalectomized ovariectomized rabbits methylenedianiline failed to produce the increase in the endometrial enzyme. The response is considered to be adrenal-dependent. Furthermore, treatment with cortisone effected a substantial inhibition of the endometrial carbonic anhydrase response to methylenedianiline. It is thus indicated that the endometrial carbonic anhydrase response to 4,4'-methylenedianiline is due to the secretion of adrenal progestogen resulting from a block of adrenal corticosteroidogenesis.