title: Different sensitivity of rat pineal N-acetyltransferase to alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptor agonists during development: in vitro studies.
abstract: Herein, we investigate the mechanisms involved in the adrenergically mediated stimulation of rat pineal N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity during development using an in vitro model. Compared with adults, results suggest a different regulation of pineal NAT activity in growing rats where a similar efficiency of alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptor agonists is observed during the 1st weeks of age for activating the enzyme. In adult rats, beta- but not alpha-adrenergic receptors appear to play the preeminent role. The results indicate that the adrenergic receptor agonists used acted in a non-specific manner by binding to relatively immature receptors early during development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Seville School of Medicine, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harmouch
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Guerrero
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Osuna
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase / Q000187:drug effects*; D015509:Developmental Biology; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008729:Methoxamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase; D008729:Methoxamine; D007545:Isoproterenol