Abstract
Treatment of cultured rat pineal glands with norepinephrine or dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate causes a six- to tenfold stimulation of N-acetyltransferase. This enzyme converts serotonin to N-acetylserotonin, the immediate precursor of melatonin. The increased synthesis of melatonin caused by norepinephrine treatment appears to be the result of stimulation of N-acetyltransferase by an adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate mechanism.
MeSH terms
-
Acetates / metabolism
-
Adenine Nucleotides / pharmacology*
-
Animals
-
Carbon Isotopes
-
Culture Techniques
-
Cyclic AMP / pharmacology
-
Cycloheximide / pharmacology
-
Melatonin / biosynthesis*
-
Norepinephrine / pharmacology*
-
Norepinephrine / physiology
-
Pineal Gland / drug effects
-
Pineal Gland / enzymology
-
Pineal Gland / metabolism*
-
Rats
-
Serotonin / metabolism
-
Stimulation, Chemical
-
Transferases / metabolism*
-
Tritium
Substances
-
Acetates
-
Adenine Nucleotides
-
Carbon Isotopes
-
Tritium
-
Serotonin
-
Cycloheximide
-
Cyclic AMP
-
Transferases
-
Melatonin
-
Norepinephrine