Kainic acid depletes retinal phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase activity of rats.
Kainic acid, an excitotoxic agent to the retina as well as to neuronal cell bodies in the brain, was administered intraocularly to rats in order to study the sensitivity of phenylethanolamine-N-Methyltransferase (PNMT) containing amacrine cells to this agent. Results show that these cells are very sensitive to the toxic effects of kainate. A dose of 5 nmoles caused a significant reduction in retinal PNMT activity. Higher doses further depleted enzyme activity.
D000818:Animals; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D010625:Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology
D010625:Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase; D007608:Kainic Acid