Summary
The activity of the enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) during four different phases of the oestrus cycle were determined. Brain and hypothalamus had highest level of COMT activity during oestrus phase, while at pro-oestrus it was at its lowest level. COMT activity in the adrenal gland was also modified during the four phases with the maximum level at met-oestrus and the minimum at pro-oestrus phase. The results provide evidence to show that COMT in the brain, hypothalamus and the adrenals is markedly affected by changes in physiological status of the female rats and its evolution in brain is different from adrenal gland during the oestrus cycle. The variations in the activity of COMT may be the consequence of modified endocrine activity which takes place naturally during oestrus cycle.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Axelrod, J. Catechol-O-methyltransferase in rat liver. In: Methods in Enzymol. (Colowick, S. P., Kaplan, N. O., eds.), Vol. 5, pp. 748–751. London: Academic Press. 1962.
Axelrod, J. Hormones and electrolytes in regulation of catecholamine metabolism. In: Ciba Found. Study Group 33 (Wolstenholme, G. E., O'Connor, M., eds.), pp. 76–94. London: J. A. Churchill Ltd. 1968.
Axelrod, J. Noradrenaline and its fate. Nobel Lecture. Science173, 598 to 606 (1971).
Green, R. D., Miller, J. W. Catecholamine concentrations: changes in plasma of rats during estrus cycle and pregnancy. Science151, 825–826 (1966).
Holzbauer, M., Youdim, M. B. H.: The influence of endocrine glands on the central and peripheral monoamine oxidase activity. Br. J. Pharmac.44, 355P (1972).
Holzbauer, M., Youdium, M. B. H. The oestrus cycle and monoamine oxidase activity. Br. J. Pharmac.48, 600–608 (1973).
Kamberi, I. A., Kobayashi, Y. Monoamine oxidase activity in the hypothalamus and various other brain area and in some endocrine glands of the rat during oestrus cycle. J. Neurochem.17, 260–268 (1970).
Kohler, C., Berkowitz, B. A., Spector, S. Sex hormones and tyrosine hydroxylase activity in vascular and adrenal tissues. Endocrinology97, 1316–1320 (1975).
Kopin, I. J. Storage and metabolism of catecholamines: the role of monoamine oxidase. Pharmacol. Rev.16, 179–191 (1964).
Parvez, H., Parvez, S. Catecholamine excretion after hypophysectomy and hydrocortisone administration. Amer. J. Physiol.223, 1281–1285 (1972).
Parvez, H., Gripois, D. Simplified and precise method for the assay of enzyme COMT without high speed fractionation. Clin. Chim. Acta39, 253–254 (1972).
Parvez, H., Parvez, S. The effects of metopirone and adrenalectomy on the regulation of enzymes MAO and COMT in different brain regions. J. Neurochem.20, 1011–1020 (1973 a).
Parvez, H., Parvez, S. Microradioisotopic determination of enzymes COMT, PNMT and MAO in a single tissue homogenate. Clin. Chim. Acta46, 85–90 (1973 b).
Parvez, H., Parvez, S. The effects of fetal decapitation at day 18 on the antenatal development of enzyme MAO and COMT in rabbit fetuses. Biochim. Biophys. Acta338, 21–28 (1974).
Parvez, S., Parvez, H., Roffi, J. Hypophyseal adrenocortical role in urinary excretion of epinephrine and norepinephrine in hypophysectomized and adrenalectomized rats. Endocrinology94, 1054 to 1059 (1974).
Parvez, H., Raza-Bukhari, A., Parvez, S. Progesterone mediated increase in monoamine stores and the regulation of enzymes of biosynthesis and metabolism in the adrenal gland during late pregnancy. Steroids26, 579–589 (1975 a).
Parvez, S., Parvez, H., Youdim, M. B. H. Variations in activity of monoamine metabolizing enzymes in rat liver during pregnancy. Br. J. Pharmac.53, 241–246 (1975 b).
Salseduc, M., Joffre, I., Izquierdo, J. MAO and COMT activity in cerebral structure and sex organs of rat during their sexual cycle. Med. Pharmacol. Exp.143, 82–89 (1966).
Sandier, M., Youdim, M. B. H. Multiple forms of MAO: functional significance. Pharmacol. Rev.24, 331–348 (1972).
Southgate, J., Grant, E., Pollard, W., Pryse-Davies, J., Sandler, M. Cyclic variations in endometrial MAO. Correlations of histochemical and quantitative biochemical assays. Biochem. Pharmacol.17, 721–726 (1968).
Tipton, K. F.: Monoamine Oxidase. In: Handbook of Physiology. Section 7, Endocrinology, Vol. VI: Adrenal Gland, pp. 677–697. 1972.
Youdim, M. B. H., Holzbauer, M., Woods, F. Neuropharmacology of Monoamines and their Regulatory Mechanisms (Usdin, E., ed.), pp. 11 to 28. New York: Raven Press. 1974.
Youdim, M. B. H., Holzbauer, M. Physiological and pathological changes in tissue MAO activity. J. Neural Transm.38, 193–229 (1976).
Zolovick, A. J., Pearse, R., Boelbke, K., Eleftherious, B. MAO activity in various parts of the rat during the estrus cycle. Science154, 649 (1966).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This study was partly supported by grant from D.G.R.S.T., Section of Biology of Reproduction, Paris, France.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Parvez, S., Ismahan, G., Raza-Bukhari, A. et al. Activity of catechol-O-methyltransferase in brain regions and adrenal gland during the oestrus cycle. J. Neural Transmission 42, 305–312 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01673554
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01673554