Effect of corticosterone and triiodothyronine on (Na+ + K+)-adenosine triphosphatase activity in rat submandibular gland.

The present study concerns the effect of glucocorticoids and triiodothyronine (T3) on rat salivary (Na+ + K+)-adenosine triphosphatase (NaK-ATPase). The results indicate that corticosterone increases submandibular gland NaK-ATPase activity with a single dose of hormone and with two daily doses on three successive days. Multiple injections of dexamethasone also increases submandibular and sublingual gland NaK-ATPase activity. The effect of glucocorticoids on salivary NaK-ATPase is selective since Mg-ATPase shows no significant differences under different steroidal states. We subsequently investigate the possibility of interaction between the effects of corticosterone and triiodothyronine on submandibular gland NaK-ATPase activity. Our studies indicate that each of these hormones increases NaK-ATPase activity in the absence of the other.