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Ontogenetic effects of MAO‐A inhibition on rat pineal n ‐acetylserotonin and melatonin during the first month of neonatal life
Author(s) -
Oxenkrug Gregory F,
Requintina Pura J,
Yuwiler A
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
human psychopharmacology: clinical and experimental
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.461
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1099-1077
pISSN - 0885-6222
DOI - 10.1002/hup.217
Subject(s) - clorgyline , melatonin , monoamine oxidase , pineal gland , serotonin , medicine , endocrinology , in vivo , monoamine oxidase a , biology , monoamine neurotransmitter , in vitro , enzyme , biochemistry , genetics , receptor
Inhibitors of monoamine oxidase A (MAO‐A) but not MAO‐B stimulate the activity of pineal serotonin N ‐acetyltransferase (AANAT) in the adult rat pineal leading to increased formation of N ‐acetyl serotonin (NAS) and melatonin (MEL). The pineal gland of the neonatal rat has AANAT activity, but the second enzyme in melatonin biosynthesis, HIOMT (hydroxyindole‐ O ‐methyltransferase) converting NAS to MEL, is absent during the first week of neonatal life. In this study we examined the effects of acute clorgyline treatment in vitro and in vivo , on pineal indoles over the first month of neonatal life. The results show that clorgyline stimulates NAS production by pineal both in vitro and in vivo from day five on with a marked increase between day 14 and day 21. In contrast, MEL is not increased until day 21, with a sharp rise thereafter. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.