The Role of the Brain in the Regulation of Peripheral Organs–Noradrenaline Sources in Neonatal Rats: Noradrenaline Synthesis Enzyme Activity

Abstract

This work is aimed at studying the mechanisms of reciprocal humoral regulation of noradrenaline-producing organs in rats in the perinatal period of development. The activity of noradrenaline synthesis enzymes tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase was measured in the brain and adrenal glands 48 and 72 h after the injection of immunotoxin (anti-dopamine-beta-hydroxylase-saporin) into the rat brain ventricles. It was shown that, 48 h after the immunotoxin injection into the brain, the activity of tyrosine hydroxylase in the brain decreased; however, 72 h after the injection it reached the control levels. This fact indicates that noradrenaline synthesis in the survived neurons increases. In the adrenal glands, 72 h after the immunotoxin injection into the brain, the activity of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase increased. This points to a compensatory increase in the rate of noradrenaline synthesis in the adrenal glands when the synthesis of noradrenaline in the brain is inhibited.