Elevation of RNA coding for tyrosine hydroxylase in rat adrenal gland by reserpine treatment and exposure to cold.

When rats are treated daily with reserpine or maintained at 4 degrees C, the level of a specific RNA coding for tyrosine hydroxylase is elevated in the adrenal gland. The increase in this specific RNA temporally precedes and is quantitatively equal to the increase in adrenal tyrosine hydroxylase enzyme activity elicited by these treatments. These results suggest that prolonged stress may lead to changes in the levels of specific RNA species in the adrenal gland.