Increase in rat adrenal phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase mRNA level caused by immobilization stress depends on intact pituitary-adrenocortical axis.
The effects of a single and of repeated immobilization stress on the expression of the final enzyme involved in epinephrine biosynthesis, phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT), are described. A single immobilization (whether lasting 5 or 120 min) caused a severalfold increase of the adrenal PNMT mRNA level as measured 2 h after the beginning of the procedure. This elevation was of a transient nature, peaked 3-6 h after the 2-h immobilization, and returned to control values by 12 h after the stress. When the animals were immobilized for 2 h/day for seven consecutive days, an increase in content of PNMT mRNA of a similar magnitude was observed, which persisted for at least 2 days after the seventh immobilization. The immobilization-induced increase was completely abolished in hypophysectomized animals, whereas adrenal denervation failed to prevent it. These data suggest that the immobilization-induced increase in adrenal PNMT mRNA level depends primarily on pituitary-adrenocortical regulation.
Viskupic
E
E
Clinical Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
Kvetnansky
R
R
Sabban
E L
EL
Fukuhara
K
K
Weise
V K
VK
Kopin
I J
IJ
Schwartz
J P
JP
D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000294:innervation; D000818:Animals; D003714:Denervation; D007016:Hypophysectomy; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D010625:Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012149:Restraint, Physical; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000209:etiology
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D010625:Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase