The effects of carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum on tyrosine hydroxylase activity.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of carbon dioxide (CO2) pneumoperitoneum on tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity and total protein (TP) levels.


METHODS
Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into 10 groups, each consisting of 10 rats. Groups 1 and 2 consisted of anesthesia and sham-operated control rats, respectively. In the study groups, 10 mm Hg (group 3) and 15 mm Hg (group 4) pneumoperitoneum with CO2 were accomplished. At the end of the procedures, the brains and adrenals were removed quickly, and the hypothalamus and adrenal medulla separated, weighed, and homogenized. TH activity and TP levels were determined.


RESULTS
The adrenal medulla TP and TH activity levels were decreased consistently and this decrease was significant in the sham and pneumoperitoneum groups compared with the control group (P<0.05). The adrenal medulla TP and TH activity levels were reduced significantly in group 4, as compared with the other groups (P<0.05). Elevation of hypothalamic TH activity in group 4 was significantly higher than in the other groups (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that CO2 pneumoperitoneum applied with 10 and 15 mm Hg pressure gradually decreases the adrenal medulla TH activity; TH is an indispensable enzyme for the biosynthesis of catecholamines. CO2 pneumoperitoneum with 15 mm Hg pressure significantly elevated hypothalamus TH activity.
Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey. msare@gazi.edu.tr
Mustafa
M
Sare
Muhittin
M
Yürekli
Osman
O
Kurukahvecioğlu
Ercument H
EH
Tekin
Ferit
F
Taneri
Kenan
K
Yusif-Zade
Erhan
E
Onuk
D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005740:Gases / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D011028:Pneumoperitoneum, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
D005740:Gases; D011506:Proteins; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase