Cysteamine effects on somatostatin, catecholamines, pineal NAT and melatonin in rats

Journal Article · Sat Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Brain Res. Bull.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0361-9230(86)90051-1· OSTI ID:5324571

Webb, S M; Champney, T H; Steger, R W; Vaughan, M K; Reiter, R J

The thiol reagent cysteamine was administered to adult male rats with the aim of investigating its effect on different neural and pineal components. As expected, immunoreactive somatostatin decreased in the median eminence (ME) (p less than 0.05) and gastric antrum (p less than 0.05) after cysteamine; however, no significant change was observed in the pineal IRS content after drug treatment. A decrease in norepinephrine was observed in the ME (p less than 0.001), hypothalamus (p less than 0.001) and pineal gland (p less than 0.05), together with a rise in ME (p less than 0.005) and hypothalamic dopamine (p less than 0.005) content; these results are consistent with a dopamine-beta-hydroxylase inhibiting effect of cysteamine. No effect was observed on hypothalamic serotonin and 5-hydroxyindole-acetic acid content. Pineal N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity was significantly higher (p less than 0.05) after cysteamine than after saline, but no statistically significant effect was observed on pineal melatonin content. The mechanism involved in the NAT rise is presumably not related to the known stimulatory effect of norepinephrine, which fell after cysteamine. It is suggested that cysteamine may act at an intracellular level, inhibiting NAT degradation, an effect demonstrated in vitro and thought to be related to a thiol:disulfide exchange mechanism.

• Research Organization: Autonomous Univ., Barcelona, Spain
• OSTI ID: 5324571
• Journal Information: Brain Res. Bull.; (United States), Journal Name: Brain Res. Bull.; (United States) Vol. 3; ISSN BRBUD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ADRENAL HORMONES
AMINES
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS
AZAARENES
AZOLES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
BRAIN
CARDIOTONICS
CARDIOVASCULAR AGENTS
CATECHOLAMINES
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
DOPAMINE
DRUGS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HORMONES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
HYPOTHALAMUS
INDOLES
MAMMALS
MEA
MELATONIN
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NEUROREGULATORS
NORADRENALINE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PHENOLS
POLYPHENOLS
PYRROLES
RADIOPROTECTIVE SUBSTANCES
RATS
RODENTS
SEROTONIN
SOMATOSTATIN
STEROID HORMONES
SYMPATHOMIMETICS
THIOLS
TRYPTAMINES
VERTEBRATES