title: The development of tetrahydrobiopterin and guanosine-5'-triphosphate cyclohydrolase: differential patterns in rat brain and pineal gland.
abstract: The developmental patterns of appearance of 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) and the first enzyme in BH4 biosynthesis, guanosine-5'-triphosphate cyclohydrolase (GTPcyc), were examined in rat brain and pineal gland. A parallel relationship between BH4 content and GTPcyc activity was evident in both tissues during development. In brain, the maximal content of BH4 and activity of GTPcyc was observed 2 days prior to, and 10 days after, birth. In contrast, both pineal BH4 content and GTPcyc activity became maximal postnatally. The influence of neural input on the developmental appearance of pineal BH4 was examined in rats that had been superior cervical ganglionectomized shortly after birth. It was found that this procedure did not alter the developmental appearance of BH4.
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000619:Aminohydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006136:GTP Cyclohydrolase / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D011621:Pteridines / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D011621:Pteridines; D001708:Biopterins; D000619:Aminohydrolases; D006136:GTP Cyclohydrolase; C003402:sapropterin