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Quantitative, standardized assays for determining the concentrations of bovine lactoperoxidase, human salivary peroxidase, and human myeloperoxidase.

Because of the important biological functions of peroxidases, there is growing interest in the measurement of their concentrations in various secretions. At present, there is no standard method which allows for comparisons in reported activities. This report describes procedures which can be used to measure peroxidase enzyme concentrations by commonly employed assays. Regression equations have been determined which can be used to calculate concentrations of bovine lactoperoxidase (LPO), human salivary peroxidase (SPO), and human myeloperoxidase (MPO) from activities measured with the following donors: pyrogallol, guaiacol, 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzylthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), and thiocyanate (SCN-). The peroxidation rates of these donors depend upon the concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) used in the individual assays and thus, for accurate, reproducible results, these concentrations must be carefully controlled. The SCN- normally present in human saliva will reduce observed reaction rates by simple competition kinetics in the ABTS, guaiacol and pyrogallol assays and will increase the rates observed when Cl- is used as a donor in NBS assay for MPO. Therefore, SCN- must be removed from saliva samples prior to peroxidase activity determination by all assays except the thionitrobenzoic acid (NBS) assay. LPO cannot be used as a standard for either SPO or MPO because the specific activities of LPO, SPO, and MPO are significantly different.

Animals

Inhibition of mitochondrial respiration and production of toxic oxygen radicals by flavonoids. A structure-activity study.

A series of fourteen flavonoids were employed in a systematic structure-activity study to assess their abilities to inhibit succinoxidase and generate toxic oxygen species in beef heart mitochondria. By comparing I50 values toward succinoxidase activity, flavonoids with a catechol moiety on the b ring exhibited the following general order of potency: chalcone greater than flavone greater than flavonol greater than dihydroflavonol greater than anthocyanidin. Catechins were inactive. In a series of 3,5,7-trihydroxyflavones containing various configurations of the b ring hydroxyl groups, it was found that the flavonoids possessing adjacent trihydroxy (pyrogallol) and b ring ortho-hydroxy(catechol) configurations were the most potent inhibitors of succinoxidase, followed by those with meta-hydroxyl, monohydroxyl and unhydroxylated configurations. Four of the fifteen flavonoids tested exhibited substrate-independent, KCN-insensitive respiration. Two flavonols with a pyrogallol configuration, myricetin and quercetagetin, produced the largest respiratory bursts and were found to auto-oxidize. Evidence is presented that the mitochondrial respiratory bursts induced by both flavonols and their auto-oxidation resulted in the generation of O-2 and H2O2.

Animals

Use of narrow-bore high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection for the analysis of intermediates of the biological degradation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene.

A single method was developed for the separation and quantitation of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), and most of the known and suspected biodegradation intermediates of TNT by RP-HPLC and diode array detection. The known biodegradation intermediates of TNT analyzed were 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene, 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene, 2,6-diamino-4-nitrotoluene, 2,4-diamino-6-nitrotoluene, 2,4,6-triaminotoluene, 2,2',6,6'-tetranitro-4,4'-azoxytoluene, and 4,4',6,6'-tetranitro-2,2'-azoxytoluene. The suspected biodegradation intermediates of TNT included 1,2,3-benzenetriol (pyrogallol), 1,3,5-benzenetriol (phloroglucinol), 2-methyl-1,3,5-benzenetriol (methyl phloroglucinol) and 4-methylphenol (p-cresol). Mobile phases consisting of aqueous buffers adjusted to three different pH values in a gradient with acetonitrile were examined for their efficiency in separating the intermediate compounds and for the minimization of speciation of the ionizable intermediates (e.g. 2,4,6-triaminotoluene). A final aqueous buffer pH of 3.2 was selected to minimize the interference to the separation caused by 2,4,6-triaminotoluene speciation. Solvent consumption was minimized by the use of a narrow-bore column. All of the known reduction products as well as p-cresol and methyl phloroglucinol were identified in culture supernatants from TNT-degrading cultures while pyrogallol and phloroglucinol were not.

Biodegradation, Environmental

Enhancement of the mutagenicity of polyphenols by chlorination and nitrosation in Salmonella typhimurium.

The hydrolytic products of lignins, humic acids and industrial waste including hydroquinone, catechol, resorcinol, pyrogallol and 1,2,4-benzenetriol are widely distributed in water sources. These polyphenols can interact with chlorine or nitrite to yield new derivatives. Generally, these new products possess more mutagenic potential than their original compounds. Furthermore, the mutagenicity of these polyphenols and their derivatives can be dramatically reduced by rodent liver microsomal enzymes (S9). The mutagenicity of polyphenols is in this order: hydroquinone greater than 1,2,4-benzenetriol greater than pyrogallol, while catechol, resorcinol and phloroglucinol are non-mutagenic. The ultimate product of chlorination or nitrosation of hydroquinone has been identified to be p-benzoquinone. The formation of active oxygen species including superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide by polyphenols has been demonstrated and this may contribute partly to the molecular mechanisms of polyphenol mutagenicity.

Catechols

Vanadium effect on the activity of horseradish peroxidase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase in vitro.

The effect of vanadium (V) on the activity of horseradish peroxidase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase has been studied. A competitive inhibition pattern was evident for vanadate ions on the activity of horseradish peroxidase (Ki = 41.2 microM). No significant inhibitory effects were found when V(V) was tested with catalase and when either V(IV) or V(V) were assayed with glutathione peroxidase. For the latter, the effect of V on the different components of the reaction system was investigated. V(V) did not significantly affect SOD activity when assayed with the sulfite method, which is devoid of interferences with V(V); however, there was an apparent inhibitory dose-response pattern for either V(IV) or V(V) using the pyrogallol assay, owing to an interference of pyrogallol with the metal. Besides, no significant binding of V(IV) or V(V) to the enzyme could be demonstrated. The lack of a direct inhibitory effect of V on the activity of the main antioxidant enzymes suggests that many biological and toxicological effects of V may be mediated more by oxidative reactions of the metal or of its complexes with physiologically relevant biomolecules than by a direct modulation of enzymatic activities.

Catalase

Species-specific heterogeneity for molecular weight estimates of serum extracellular superoxide dismutase activities.

1. Several apparent molecular weights (mol. wt) are reported for plasma or serum extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC SOD) activity. This study found species-dependent heterogeneity for apparent mol. wt using gel filtration with Sephadex G-150. 2. EC SOD activity in rabbit and guinea-pig serum, measured by a modified pyrogallol assay, eluted just before ceruloplasmin activity, but rat and bovine serum activity eluted after ceruloplasmin (apparent mol. wt of 142,000 and 73,000, respectively). 3. The heterogeneity between rat and rabbit serum was not eliminated by substituting a cytochrome-c-based SOD assay for the pyrogallol method, by substituting lung extracts for serum, by analysing a mixture of rat and rabbit serums, nor by analysing hemolysed serum. The apparent mol. wt of bovine serum EC SOD activity was not duplicated by gel filtration analysis of a mixture of bovine cytosolic SOD and albumin. 4. In conclusion, species-specific variation in apparent mol. wt for serum EC SOD activity was demonstrated under several circumstances.

Animals

Superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities in erythrocytes as indices of oxygen loading in disease: a survey of one hundred cases.

It has been established that the pyrogallol autoxidation method for the estimation of the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) (EC 1.15.1.1) is superior in precision and sensitivity to a superoxide-generating method (NADH/phenazine methosulfate linked to nitroblue tetrazolium reduction). Reference intervals were established in an urban population in the Far East for SOD activity in erythrocytes using the pyrogallol method, and for glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) (EC 1.11.1.9) activity in erythrocytes using a standard glutathione reductase-linked method. On this basis, erythrocyte SOD activities were significantly (P less than 0.05) depressed in cases of visceral cancer, acute myocardial infarct, congestive heart failure, respiratory failure, chronic renal failure, and diabetes mellitus, but within the reference interval in cases of lung cancer and asthma. Erythrocyte GSH-Px activity was significantly (P less than 0.05) depressed in cases of diabetes mellitus and chronic renal failure but elevated in respiratory failure and asthma. GSH-Px and SOD activities were well correlated in patients but not in the reference population.

Disease

Complexes of iron with phenolic compounds from soybean nodules and other legume tissues: prooxidant and antioxidant properties.

The low-molecular-mass fraction of the soybean nodule cytosol contains Fe capable of catalyzing free radical production through Fenton chemistry. A large portion of the pool of catalytic Fe, measured as bleomycin-detectable Fe, was characterized as complexes of Fe with phenolic compounds of three classes: phenolic acids, cinnamic acids, and flavonoids. Many of these compounds, along with other phenolics present in legume tissues, were used for a systematic structure-activity relationship study. All phenolics tested were able to chelate Fe, as judged from their inhibitory effect on site-specific deoxyribose degradation (minus EDTA assay). However, only those having catechol, pyrogallol, or 3-hydroxy-4-carbonyl groupings were potent chelators and reductants of Fe3+ at pH 5.5. The same phenolics promoted oxidative damage to DNA (bleomycin assay) and to deoxyribose (plus EDTA assay), but inhibited linolenic acid peroxidation by chelating and reducing Fe3+ and by neutralizing lipid radicals. Also, phenolics having a pyrogallol nucleus attenuated the free radical-mediated inactivation of glutamine synthetase, which was used as a model system, by chelating Fe2+. It is reasoned that under the microaerobic (10-20 nM O2) and acidic (pH 5.5-6.4) conditions prevailing in nodules, phenolics are likely to act primarily as antioxidants, decreasing oxidative damage to biomolecules.

Antioxidants

13C-CP-MAS-NMR studies of flavonoids. I. Solid-state conformation of quercetin, quercetin 5'-sulphonic acid and some simple polyphenols.

13C-CP-MAS-NMR spectra were measured in order to characterise the orientation of hydroxyl groups of quercetin, quercetin-5'-sulphonic acid and polyphenol-type compounds such as catechol, pyrogallol and gallic acid. The locked conformation of the OH group in the solid results in an increased shielding of carbon proxime to C-OH hydrogen. Carbon shieldings suggest that there is orientational disorder of three OH groups of pyrogallol and gallic acid and that two OH groups of catechol are not equivalent. In solid quercetin and quercetin-5'-sulphonic acid the C7-OH points towards C6-H and the C3'-OH hydrogen is near C2'-H.

Carbon Isotopes

Inhibition of mitochondrial NADH oxidase, succinoxidase, and ATPase by naturally occurring flavonoids.

A structure-activity investigation of the inhibition of beef heart mitochondrial NADH oxidase and succinoxidase and rat liver mitochondrial ATPase by flavonoids was conducted. NADH oxidase was the most sensitive to inhibition by flavonoids: 13 of the 18 flavonoids tested inhibited NADH oxidase, whereas only 4 and 5 flavonoids inhibited succinoxidase and ATPase, respectively. The flavonoids possessing a catechol or pyrogallol moiety, and a 2,3-double bond and a 3-hydroxyl group were the most inhibitory towards the respiratory chain enzymes. The catechol or pyrogallol moiety did not exert preferential activity towards the oligomycin-sensitive ATPase because morin, which contains a meta-dihydroxy configuration, was the most potent ATPase inhibitor.

Adenosine Triphosphatases

Oxygen free radicals enhance the nitric oxide-induced covalent NAD(+)-linkage to neuronal glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase.

Nitric oxide (NO) induces a covalent modification of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) from various tissues. This phenomenon, which has previously been interpreted as an auto-ADP-ribosylation, is in fact a covalent binding of NAD+ to the enzyme. In the present study, we show that 3-morpholino-sydnonimine (SIN-1) is much more efficient than sodium nitroprusside (SNP) in stimulating the covalent labelling of GAPDH from cultured striatal neurones in the presence of [adenylate-32P]NAD+ (877 +/- 110 and 266 +/- 33% increase in NAD(+)-labelling induced by maximally effective concentrations of SIN-1 and SNP respectively). The difference in the efficacy of both NO-generating compounds could be due to the additional release of superoxide by SIN-1, since superoxide dismutase and the nitrone 5,5'-dimethyl pyrroline-1-oxide markedly inhibited the SIN-1-induced covalent binding of NAD+ to GAPDH. Catalase and selective scavengers of hydroxyl radicals, mannitol and dimethyl sulphoxide, did not alter the SIN-1-induced covalent modification of GAPDH, ruling out the involvement of hydroxyl radicals in this phenomenon. Supporting further a role of oxygen free radicals in the NAD+ linkage to GAPDH, pyrogallol, a superoxide generator, which alone was ineffective, potentiated the SNP-evoked response. The NAD+ linkage to neuronal GAPDH measured in the presence of NO and superoxide probably involves sulphydryl groups, since the radiolabelling of the protein was reversed by exposure to HgCl2 and prevented by pretreatment with the alkylating agent N-ethylmaleimide. Moreover, the NO-induced inhibition of GAPDH activity was enhanced by pyrogallol, which was ineffective alone. In conclusion, the present study indicates that superoxide anions potentiate NO-induced covalent NAD(+)-linkage to GAPDH and enzyme inactivation.

Animals

Endothelium-derived relaxing factor produced and released from artery and vein is nitric oxide.

The objective of this study was to determine whether nitric oxide (NO) is responsible for the vascular smooth muscle relaxation elicited by endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF). EDRF is an unstable humoral substance released from artery and vein that mediates the action of endothelium-dependent vasodilators. NO is an unstable endothelium-independent vasodilator that is released from vasodilator drugs such as nitroprusside and glyceryl trinitrate. We have repeatedly observed that the actions of NO on vascular smooth muscle closely resemble those of EDRF. In the present study the vascular effects of EDRF released from perfused bovine intrapulmonary artery and vein were compared with the effects of NO delivered by superfusion over endothelium-denuded arterial and venous strips arranged in a cascade. EDRF was indistinguishable from NO in that both were labile (t1/2 = 3-5 sec), inactivated by pyrogallol or superoxide anion, stabilized by superoxide dismutase, and inhibited by oxyhemoglobin or potassium. Both EDRF and NO produced comparable increases in cyclic GMP accumulation in artery and vein, and this cyclic GMP accumulation was inhibited by pyrogallol, oxyhemoglobin, potassium, and methylene blue. EDRF was identified chemically as NO, or a labile nitroso species, by two procedures. First, like NO, EDRF released from freshly isolated aortic endothelial cells reacted with hemoglobin to yield nitrosylhemoglobin. Second, EDRF and NO each similarly promoted the diazotization of sulfanilic acid and yielded the same reaction product after coupling with N-(1-naphthyl)-ethylenediamine. Thus, EDRF released from artery and vein possesses identical biological and chemical properties as NO.

Animals

Mechanisms of lipid peroxidation dependent upon cytochrome P-450 LM2.

A mechanism of lipid peroxidation dependent on the oxidase activity of cytochrome P-450 LM2 in reconstituted membrane vesicles has been investigated. The rate of lipid peroxidation, determined as the formation of thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances, was inhibited by CO. It increased concomitantly to the production of O-2 and H2O2, when cytochrome P-450 LM2 was incorporated into vesicles containing NADPH-cytochrome-P-450 reductase, until a 1:1 molar ratio between the enzymes was reached. Also the formation of lipid hydroperoxides was dependent on the presence of cytochrome P-450 LM2 in the membranes. This lipid peroxidation was not inhibited by hydroxyl radical scavengers and not specifically inhibited by scavengers of singlet oxygen. By contrast, superoxide dismutase was a very potent scavenger of the lipid peroxidation. A half-maximal effect at 3 ng/ml enzyme was registered, whereas a 100-fold higher concentration was necessary in order to inhibit O-2 formation as detected by succinylated cytochrome c or pyrogallol. The reason for this difference might be inherent in different types of kinetics in the interaction of O-2 with different scavengers or might possibly indicate that SOD scavenges another type of reactive oxygen, different from O-2, generated by cytochrome P-450 LM2. Iron chelators inhibited the P-450-dependent lipid peroxidation, whereas iron chelate interacted with NADPH-cytochrome-P-450 reductase in the membranes giving rise to reductase-dependent lipid peroxidation. Neither superoxide dismutase nor EDTA at high concentrations, inhibited CCl4-initiated lipid peroxidation, indicating the point of action of these compounds at the initiation step in the cytochrome-P-450-LM2-dependent lipid peroxidation. Superoxide generated by pyrogallol, in three times the amount produced by P-450 LM2, could not bring about lipid peroxidation. It is suggested that the cytochrome-P-450-dependent lipid peroxidation mechanism might be of importance for intracellular oxidative damage under certain conditions.

Carotenoids

Microelectrode recording of the effects of agonists and antagonists on alpha-adrenoceptors on rat somatic nerve terminals.

The effects of apomorphine, catechol, clonidine, isoprenaline, (-)-and (+/-)-noradrenaline, phenylephrine, pyrogallol and xylazine were investigated on the frequency and amplitude of miniature endplate potentials (m.e.p.ps) and, with the exception of apomorphine, catechol and pyrogallol, on the amplitude of endplate potentials (e.p.ps) in the rat phrenic nerve diaphragm preparation. Clonidine, (-)-noradrenaline, phenylephrine and xylazine (each at 1.5 X 10(-5)M) increased m.e.p.p. frequency but not amplitude. The other drugs were ineffective, except isoprenaline (1.5 X 10(-5)M) which enhanced m.e.p.p. amplitude but not frequency. The increase in m.e.p.p. frequency was inhibited by phentolamine, prazosin and yohimbine (each 1.5 X 10(-9)M). Prazosin and yohimbine alone each reduced m.e.p.p. frequency but failed to abolish m.e.p.ps even at high concentrations (10(-3)M). Clonidine, (-)-noradrenaline, phenylephrine and xylazine (each 3 X 10(-6)M) enhanced e.p.p. amplitude; this enhancement was blocked by prazosin and by yohimbine (each 3 X 10(-6)M). In preparations fatigued by prolonged continuous nerve stimulation (5 Hz, 0.05 ms for 30 min), (-)-noradrenaline (3.3 X 10(-4)M) restored m.e.p.p. frequency. The results indicate that adrenoceptors on somatic nerve terminals interact with both alpha 1- and alpha 2-agonists and antagonists and show different characteristics from those at autonomic neuroeffector junctions. The alpha-adrenoceptors on somatic nerve terminals may have an ancilliary physiological role in influencing but not controlling transmitter release.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists

Comparison of the pharmacological profile of S-nitrosothiols, nitric oxide and the nitrergic neurotransmitter in the canine ileocolonic junction.

1. In organ bath experiments, hydroquinone (30-100 microM) and hydroxocobalamin (30-100 microM) concentration-dependently inhibited the relaxations induced by NO (0.3-30 microM) but not those by nitroglycerin (GTN, 1 microM) in the canine ileocolonic junction (ICJ). Hydroxocobalamin reduced the relaxation to low frequency (2 Hz) stimulation of the non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) nerves, whereas hydroquinone only reduced the NANC nerve-mediated relaxations to electrical stimulation at 16 Hz, 0.5 ms. 2. Relaxations to S-nitroso-L-cysteine (CysNO, 1-30 microM), or S-nitroso-N-acetyl-D,L-penicillamine (SNAP, 1-30 microM) were not inhibited by hydroquinone (30-100 microM), hydroxocobalamin (30-100 microM), pyrogallol (30-100 microM) or L-cysteine (1-3 microM). Hydroquinone (100 microM) only reduced the relaxation to 10 microM CysNO. Hydroxocobalamin, but not hydroquinone, pyrogallol or L-cysteine, potentiated the relaxations to the lowest concentration (1 microM) of S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO, 1-30 microM). 3. In the superfusion bioassay, hydroquinone (100 microM) and hydroxocobalamin (1 microM) concentration-dependently inhibited the biological activity of authentic NO (1-4 pmol) to the same extent as that of the transferable nitrergic factor, released from the canine ICJ in response to NANC nerve stimulation (8-16 Hz, 2 ms). Responses to GTN (10 pmol) or adenosine 5'-triphosphate (10 nmol) were not affected. 4. In conclusion, the nitrosothiols CysNO, SNAP and GSNO relax the canine ileocolonic junction, but these relaxations, pharmacologically, behave differently from the NANC nerve-mediated relaxations. From the bioassay experiments, we conclude that the nitrergic factor, released in response to NANCnerve stimulation of the canine ICJ, behaves pharmacologically like NO but not like a nitrosothiol.Therefore, we suggest NO, and not CysNO, SNAP or GSNO as the inhibitory NANC neurotransmitter in the canine ICJ.

Animals

Role of the L-arginine/nitric oxide pathway in relaxation of isolated human penile cavernous tissue and circumflex veins.

In human penile corpus cavernosum strips, pre-contracted by noradrenaline, electrical stimulation of nerves evoked non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) relaxant responses which could be inhibited by tetrodotoxin 10(-6) M, NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) 10(-7)-10(-4) M, and oxyhaemoglobin 10(-5) M, but not by methylene blue (MB) 10(-5) M. Acetylcholine-induced relaxations were also inhibited by L-NNA 10(-4) M and oxyhaemoglobin 10(-5) M, but were unaffected by pyrogallol 10(-4) M, MB 10(-5) M, and tetrodotoxin 10(-6) M. MB 5 x 10(-4)-10(-4) M significantly reduced the responses to both electrical stimulation and to acetylcholine. Nitric oxide (NO) 10(-7)-10(-4) M and sodium nitroprusside 10(-9)-10(-4) M caused concentration-dependent relaxations. The NO-induced relaxations were inhibited by oxyhaemoglobin 10(-5) M, and the concentration-response curve for sodium nitroprusside was shifted to the right by MB 10(-5) M. The response to sodium nitroprusside was unaffected by L-NNA 10(-4) M, oxyhaemoglobin 10(-5) M, and pyrogallol 10(-4) M. In circumflex veins, pre-contracted by noradrenaline, no NANC-mediated relaxation was found in response to electrical stimulation; acetylcholine caused endothelium-dependent relaxations, which were insensitive to L-NNA 10(-4) M and oxyhaemoglobin 10(-5) M. NO and sodium nitroprusside caused concentration-dependent relaxations; the concentration-response curves for NO and sodium nitroprusside were shifted to the right by oxyhaemoglobin 10(-5) M. Removal of the endothelium left the NO- and sodium nitroprusside-induced relaxations unchanged.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acetylcholine

On the preferred rotameric conformation for dopamine agonist action: an illusory quest.

Putative dopamine agonists from the 2-aminotetrahydronaphthalene and trans-octahydrobenzo (f) and (g) quinoline series were shown to inhibit the spontaneous locomotor activity of mice. Marked potency differences were observed between the alpha-and beta-rotameric conformations, compounds having the alpha-rotameric conformation having the greater potency. Thus, 2-di-n-propylmino-5,6-dihydroxytetrahydronaphthalene was 339 times more potent than the 6, 7-dihydroxy isomer, and 2-n-propylamino-5,6-dihydroxy-compound was respectively 79 times and 179 times more than 6,7-hydroxy-and 7,8-dihydroxycompounds. trans-7,8-dihydroxy-1-n-propyl-1,2,3,4,a,9,10,10b-octahydrobenzo(f)quinoline was 11 times more potent than the beta-rotamer, the 6,7-dihydroxy compound, and within the trans-octahydrobenzo(g)quinoline series the alpha-rotameric N-propyl derivative was 467 times more potent than the beta-rotamer, and the alpha-rotameric greater than N-H analogue was 46 fold more potent than the beta-rotamer. Thus, the alpha-rotamer appears the more potent in causing the present functional dopaminergic change. The dopaminergic nature of the response was indicated by its sensitivity to spiroperidol but not to yohimbine or prazosin. The possibility that a difference in behavioural potency between the alpha- and beta-rotamers may reflect a differential metabolism by catechol-O-methyl transferase was assessed by administration of different agonists after pyrogallol pretreatment. This potentiated the activity of 2-di-n-propylamino-6,7-dihydroxytetrahydro-naphthalene but not that of the 5,6-dihydroxy analogue. However, changes in the effects of N-propyl derivatives of trans-octahydrobenzo (f) and (g)quinoline were not marked and, in all experiments, pyrogallol treatment failed by orders of magnitude to shift the dose-response curves of the beta-rotamers to indicate a comparable potency to the rotameric forms.

Animals

The metabolism of (3H)noradrenaline released by electrical stimulation from the isolated nictitating membrane of the cat and from the vas deferens of the rat.

1. The noradrenaline (NA) stores of the isolated medial muscle of the cat's nictitating membrane were labelled with [(3)H]NA and the tissue was set up in an isolated organ bath for field stimulation. The tritiated NA and its metabolites released spontaneously and by field stimulation were determined by scintillation counting following chromatographic separation.2. NA represented 11.8 +/- 1.0% of the total radioactivity of the spontaneously released tritiated compounds. The rest was accounted for by NA metabolites: (a) normetanephrine (NMN), 35%; (b) 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymandelic acid (VMA), 20%; (c) 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol (DOPEG), 10%; (d) 3,4-dihydroxymandelic acid (DOMA), 10%; (e) 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylglycol (MOPEG), 14%.3. Field stimulation at 25 shocks/sec with supramaximal stimuli of 1 msec duration increased the outflow of NA six to eightfold and that of NMN, DOPEG and VMA two to threefold. The increase in outflow of DOMA and MOPEG was small. NA represented 35.8 +/- 4.1% of the total increase in radioactivity.4. After pargyline pretreatment field stimulation increased the outflow of NA and NMN. Stimulation in the presence of pyrogallol raised the release of NA, DOMA and DOPEG. Neither pargyline nor pyrogallol affected the total release induced by stimulation.5. Cocaine 0.3 mug/ml. increased the release due to stimulation at 4 shocks/sec but not at 25 shocks/sec. Cocaine did not affect the metabolism of the released transmitter.6. Phenoxybenzamine (10 mug/ml.) increased release by stimulation at 4 and 25 shocks/sec. Metabolism of the released transmitter was prevented in the presence of phenoxybenzamine.7. Phentolamine (3 mug/ml.), like phenoxybenzamine, blocked responses to field stimulation, but failed to modify release and subsequent metabolism of NA liberated by field stimulation.8. The main NA metabolites in the rat vas deferens were DOPEG, DOMA and MOPEG. Stimulation at 4 shocks/sec resulted in an increased outflow of NA and of DOPEG. Fifty per cent of the total increase of radioactive compounds was accounted for by NA metabolites.9. These experiments show that for the calculation of the actual output of transmitter it is important to include the metabolites and not to rely on the determination of [(3)H]NA alone.

Animals