title: Vasoactive intestinal peptide stimulation of pineal serotonin-N-acetyltransferase activity: general characteristics.
abstract: Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) stimulates basal serotonin-N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity in pineals in organ culture and enhances the effects of catecholamines in inducing the enzyme. VIP appears to act postsynaptically; its action is independent of the beta receptor and is dependent upon protein synthesis. Its effects may be mediated by a receptor. The magnitude of the pineal response to VIP varies with age, is greater in pineals maintained in 48-h organ culture than in those in acute culture, and can be detected in pineals from newborns after 48-h organ culture. Intravenous administration of VIP can increase pineal NAT activity in vivo.
mesh_terms: D000123:Acetyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D005724:Ganglia / Q000502:physiology; D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007700:Kinetics; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D000123:Acetyltransferases; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase