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Effect of Precursors on the Synthesis of Catecholamines and on Neurotransmission in the Superior Cervical Ganglion of the Rat
Author(s) -
Zhang C.,
Bordet S.,
Karoum F.,
Commissiong J. W.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1990.tb04575.x
Subject(s) - superior cervical ganglion , stimulation , endocrinology , saline , medicine , neurotransmission , norepinephrine , chemistry , cervical ganglia , dopamine , biology , receptor
Male Sprague‐Dawley rats (325–350 g) were anesthetized with urethane (1.5 g/kg i.p.) and treated with physiological saline, Aspartame (APM; 552 μmol/kg), or tyrosine (Tyr; 552 μmol/kg). Ganglionic transmission and the synthesis of dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) were measured in the superior cervical ganglion (SCG) following electrical stimulation of the cervical sympathetic trunk (CST). When the CST was stimulated with single pulses, neither APM nor Tyr affected the synthesis of NE or DA. However, in response to low‐ (5 Hz, 20 s) and high‐ (20 Hz, 20 s) frequency pulses, the metabolism of DA was increased ( p > 0.05), but to the same extent after saline, APM, or Tyr. In rats stimulated with similar low‐ and high‐frequency pulses, the synthesis of NE was increased significantly ( p > 0.05) after Tyr, but not after APM or saline. In saline‐treated controls, ganglionic transmission was not changed in response to single pulses, or low‐ or high‐frequency stimulation. However, after treatment with APM, ganglionic transmission was depressed significantly ( p > 0.01) in response to high‐frequency stimulation (single: 0.46 ± 0.09 mV; low: 0.39 ± 0.07 mV; high: 0.27 ± 0.07 mV). After treatment with Tyr, ganglionic transmission was depressed significantly ( p > 0.05) in response to both low‐ and high‐frequency stimulation (single: 0.44 ± 0.04 mV; low: 0.22 ±0.12 mV; high: 0.26 ± 0.07 mV). In the nonstimulated SCG, l‐3,4‐dihydroxyphenylalanine (25 mg/kg) caused a rapid, significant ( p > 0.01) increase in the synthesis and metabolism of DA, but not of NE. Treatment with nialamide (200 mg/kg i.p.) followed by electrical stimulation (15 Hz, 15 min) of the CST caused a significant ( p > 0.05) increase of both NE and DA in the stimulated SCG. It is concluded that there are both similarities and differences in the regulation of the synthesis of NE and in the modulation of ganglionic transmission after the administration of the precursors APM and Tyr. The results indicate that caution is needed in comparing the neurochemical and neurophysiological effects of different catecholamine precursors.