Receptors involved in the nervous system regulation of polyamine metabolism in rat salivary glands

• Polyamines are important for protein synthesis and tissue growth. In rat salivary glands, the activity of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the enzyme catalysing the formation of putrescine, and the content of putrescine, spermidine, spermine and N1-acetylspermidine were assayed after parasympathetic or sympathetic nerve stimulation in the presence of various autonomic receptor blockers. Increases in ODC activity occurred on activation of non-adrenergic and non-cholinergic receptors in response to parasympathetic nerve stimulation and on activation of alpha(alpha 1)- as well as of beta(beta 1)-adrenoceptors in response to sympathetic nerve stimulation. Moreover, in parotid glands, a beta(beta 1)-adrenoceptor-mediated inverse pathway for putrescine formation seemed to exist: from spermidine via N1-acetylspermidine.

Keyword

Animals

Atropine

Dihydroergotamine

Male

Ornithine Decarboxylase

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Phentolamine

Propranolol

Putrescine

Rats

Rats, Inbred Strains

Salivary Glands

Spermidine

Spermine

Sympathetic Nervous System

Yohimbine

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)