Summary
Homogenates of rat skin N-methylated norepinephrine to form epinephrine. In the brain and adrenal medulla the enzyme phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase synthesizes epinephrine, but the skin epinephrine forming enzyme was an N-methyltransferase distinct from phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase. Skin N-methyltransferase was not inhibited by the phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase inhibitor SKF 29661. Unlike phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase, skin readily methylated dopamine to form epinine. Sympathetic denervation by superior cervical ganglionectomy had no effect on skin N-methyltransferase levels. Procedures that reduced skin norepinephrine levels to 2% of control left skin epinephrine levels at 38% of control even when plasma epinephrine levels were very low. Skin contains an extraneuronal enzyme that synthesizes epinephrine in vitro and appears to synthesize part of the epinephrine normally present in skin. The enzyme can synthesize epinephrine and epinine, both of which can regulate epidermal proliferation, skin blood flow, and atopic responses.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allen-Hoffmann BL, Mosher DF (1987) Matrix assembly sites for exogenous fibronectin are decreased on human fibroblasts after treatment with agents which increase intracellular cAMP. J Biol Chem 262:14361–14365
Duell E (1980) Identification of Β-adrenergic receptor in mammalian epidermis. Biochem Pharmacol 29:97–101
Harper RA, Flaxman BA, Chopra DP (1974) Mitotic response of normal and psoriatic keratinocytes in vitro to compounds known to affect intracellular cyclic AMP. J Invest Dermatol 62:384–387
Johansson O, Olsson A, Enhamre A, Hammar H, Goldstein M (1987) Phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase-like immunoreactivity in psoriasis. Acta Derm Venereol (Stockh) 67:1–7
Kawahara K, Invi J (1985) Analysis of the positive inotropic effect of ibopamine in the blood-perfused canine papillary muscle. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 7:316–320
Larrabee WF Jr, Lanier BJ, Miekle D (1987) Effect of epinephrine on local cutaneous blood flow. Head Neck Surg 9:287–289
Nichols AG, Ruffolo RR Jr (1987) Evaluation of the alpha and beta-adrenoceptor-mediated activities of the novel, orally active inotropic agent, ibopamine, in the cardiovascular system of the pithed rat: comparison with epinine and dopamine. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 242:455–463
Soustre H, Rakotonirina A (1981) Electrophysiological and mechanical studies of frog heart adrenoceptor stimulation by epinine. Cardiovasc Res 15:700–710
Warren JB, McCusker M, Fuller RW (1988) Systemic adrenaline attenuates skin response to antigen and histamine. Clin Allergy 18:197–199
Yosikawa K, Adachi K, Halprin KM, Levine V (1975) The effects of catecholamines and related compounds on the adenyl cyclase system in the epidermis. Br J Dermatol 93:29–36
Ziegler MG, Woodson LC, Kennedy B (1986) Radioenzymatic assay of catecholamines, metabolites and related enzymes. In: Krstulovic AM (ed) Quantitative analysis of catecholamines and related compounds. Wiley, New York, pp 263–280
Ziegler MG, Kennedy B, Elayan H (1988) A sensitive radioenzymatic assay for epinephrine-forming enzymes. Life Sci 43:2117–2122
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported by NIH Grant HL 35924
Dr. Elayan is a visiting Associate Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Jordan
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Elayan, H., Kennedy, B. & Ziegler, M.G. Epinephrine synthesis in rat skin by an N-methyltransferase. Arch Dermatol Res 282, 194–197 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00372622
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00372622