Free and conjugated catecholamines and serotonin in canine thoracic duct lymph: effects of feeding.

The source and fate of sulfoconjugated catecholamines present in plasma are not known. Sulfated norepinephrine has been shown to overflow together with free norepinephrine from a typical peripheral neuroeffector junction. Some released free norepinephrine is removed via the lymphatic system, but it is not known whether sulfated catecholamines are removed similarly. Serotonin, another biogenic amine, is released from the enterochromaffin cells into portal blood. The aims of the present study were to determine whether conjugated catecholamines and serotonin could be detected in thoracic duct lymph of dogs and to compare concentrations in lymph with those in samples of portal blood collected before and after the dogs were fed. A method is described for the extraction and purification of free and conjugated catecholamines and serotonin from lymph. In lymph and in plasma, there were similar concentrations of free (0.2-0.4 ng/ml) and conjugated (0.1-0.2 ng/ml) norepinephrine and of conjugated dopamine (0.2-1.0 ng/ml). The concentrations of free serotonin were much lower in lymph (0.1-0.2 ng/ml) than in portal blood (100-200 ng/ml). Small amounts of conjugated serotonin (0.1-0.4 ng/ml) were detected in lymph but were not detected in plasma. Feeding caused increases in concentration of conjugated dopamine in lymph and in plasma and small increases in the output of free norepinephrine and free and conjugated serotonin in lymph.