Time course of the effect of reserpine administration on tyrosine hydroxylase activity in adrenal glands and vasa deferentia.

During the first several hours after administration of reserpine, tyrosine hydroxylase activity in rat adrenal slices and in isolated intact vasa deferentia of mice and rats is profoundly reduced, although no effect on enzyme activity in isolated fortified homogenates of these tissues is demonstrable. This effect, observed only in intact preparations, is competitively antagonized by addition to the medium of the synthetic pterin cofactor, 6,7-dimethyltetrahydropterin (DMPH4). Kinetic analysis of the effect of acute reserpine treatment on tyrosine hydroxylase activity in these isolated, intact tissues indicates that the Km for the pterin cofactor is increased but the Vmax is not altered. The results indicate that reserpine produces its inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase by preventing catecholamine storage and causing elevated levels of free intraneuronal norepinephrine. The catecholamine inhibits the enzyme in a manner which is competitive with the pterin cofactor. After more chronic reserpine treatment, when catecholamine stores are severly depleted, this inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase activity in intact tissues is no longer apparent. After 3 days of treatment, increased levels of tyrosine hydroxylase are demonstrable in the adrenal glands of rats but not in the vass deferentia of either mice or rats. The increased enzyme levels in the adrenal gland are presumably due to increased enzyme formation.