title: Dissociation between hypothalamic catecholamine levels and epinephrine-forming enzyme activity after midbrain hemitransections in the rat.
abstract: We found decreased catecholamine (norepinephrine and epinephrine) levels in selective hypothalamic nuclei of the rat after complete midbrain hemitransections. In contrast, the activity of the epinephrine-forming enzyme (phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase, PNMT, EC 2.1.1.28) was unchanged in the hypothalamus after the lesions. Our results demonstrate a dissociation between hypothalamic catecholamine levels and PNMT activity, and suggest that hypothalamic PNMT may not be localized in catecholaminergic axons originating in the brainstem.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000378:metabolism*; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000032:analysis*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008474:Medial Forebrain Bundle / Q000378:metabolism; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000378:metabolism; D010625:Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D010625:Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase