Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letters to Editor
  • Published:

N-Methylation of Dopamine to Epinine in Brain Tissue using N-Methyltetrahydrofolic Acid as the Methyl Donor

Abstract

DURING biosynthetis of catecholamines, the final step in adrenaline formation involves transfer of a methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) to the nitrogen of noradrenaline1; such N-methylation has been demonstrated in vitro with dopamine by the use of an enzyme from the adrenal medulla2. We propose a simplified model more compatible with the concept of intracellular compartments; in our model epinine should be considered as the immediate precursor of adrenaline2.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Axelrod, J., Pharmacol. Rev., 18, 95 (1966).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Laduron, P., Arch. Int. Pharmacodyn., 195, 197 (1972).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. McGeer, P. L., and McGeer, E. G., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm., 17, 502 (1964).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Ciaranello, R. D., Barchas, R. E., Byers, G. S., Stemmle, D. W., and Barchas, J. D., Nature, 221, 368 (1969).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Pohorecky, L. A., Zigmond, M. J., Karten, H., and Wurtman, R. J., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 165, 190 (1969).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Mandell, A. J., and Morgan, M., Nature, 230, 85 (1971).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Levitt, M., Nixon, P. F., Pincus, J. H., and Bertino, J. R., J. Clin. Invest., 50, 1301 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Allen, C. D., and Klipstein, F. A., Neurology, 4, 403 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

LADURON, P. N-Methylation of Dopamine to Epinine in Brain Tissue using N-Methyltetrahydrofolic Acid as the Methyl Donor. Nature New Biology 238, 212–213 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio238212a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio238212a0

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing