RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 THE DISPOSITION OF CATECHOLAMINES IN THE RAT UTERUS AND THE EFFECT OF DRUGS AND HORMONES
JF Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
JO J Pharmacol Exp Ther
FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
SP 150
OP 155
VO 144
IS 2
A1 Wurtman, Richard J.
A1 Axelrod, Julius
A1 Potter, Lincoln T.
YR 1964
UL http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/144/2/150.abstract
AB The binding of H3-catecholamines was studied in uteri and hearts of immature rats pretreated with estradiol-17β. The uptake of circulating H3-epinephrine was much greater in the heart, but the rates of its disappearance from uterus and heart were similar. Reserpine released bound H3-catecholamines from uteri and hearts to the same extent, but tyramine had only a minor effect on the release, and cocaine no effect on the uptake of these neurohumors in the uterus. Estrogen treatment resulted in a marked increase in the binding of H3-epinephrine in the immature rat uterus. When uterine naturally occurring and administered catecholamines were studied by subcellular fractionation, there was no evidence of concentration of these substances in the "microsomal" fraction, containing granulated vesicles, as was found in the heart. Uterus contains only trace amounts of catechol-O-methyl transferase activity, but has large amounts of monoamine oxidase activity. Catechol-O-methyl transferase activity more than doubles during pregnancy. The Williams & Wilkins Company