Dopamine-beta-hydroxylase release following acute selective sympathetic nerve stimulation of the heart, spleen and mesentery.

In increase in the concentration of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) in the blood perfusates of the heart, spleen and mesentery of pithed rats was detected following selective sympathetic nerve stimulation. Furthermore, the concentration of enzyme released by each organ correlated with the stimulation frequency. The results provide further corroborative evidence that the concentration of DBH in the plasma is related to the degree of sympathetic tone. If the sampling methods described were applied to non-spinalized animals, the concentrations of DBH in organ perfusates could be used as an index of sympathetic nervous tone and thus provide a useful preparation for the study of drugs on the sympathetic nervous system.