EFFECT OF STRESS ON AMINO-ACIDS AND RELATED-COMPOUNDS IN VARIOUS TISSUES OF THE RAT

The composition of various amino acids and related compounds in the ao rta, ventricle, atria, liver, kidney, pancreas, bronchi and adrenals o f rats is presented. These patterns are qualitatively similar, but qua ntitatively different. Stress changed these patterns. In the aorta, al pha-aminobutyric acid and ammonia are decreased. In the ventricle, pho sphoserine and red. gluthionine are increased; and ammonia, arginine, asparagine, carnosine, ethanolamine, glutamic acid, glutamine, lysine, phosphoethanolamine and taurine are decreased. In the atria, alpha-am inobutyric acid, aspartic acid, ethanolamine and red. glutathione are increased; and ammonia is decreased. In the liver, alpha-aminobutyric acid, cystine, isoleucine, red. glutathione, methionine and phenylalan ine are increased. In the kidney, ethanolamine is increased; and beta aminobutyric acid, citrulline, cystathionine, glutamic acid, glycine a nd tryptophan are decreased. In the alpha-aminoadipic acid, ox. glutat hione, glutamine, l-methylhistidine, phenylalanine, phosphoserine, try ptophan and valine are increased: and ammonia, cystine and aspartic ac id are decreased. In the adrenal glands, anserine, glutamic acid, glut amine and ox. glutathione are increased; and arginine is decreased. In the bronchi, ethanolamine and beta-alanine are increased and alpha-am inobutyric acid and ox. glutathione are decreased. Thus, stress affect s certain amino compounds but changes are substance and tissue specifi c and independent of changes seen in the plasma.