Effect of hypophysectomy and growth hormone on tryptophan and serotonin metabolism
Cocchi, D.; Di Giulio, A.; Groppetti, A.; Mantegazza, P.; Müller, E.E.; Spano, P.F.
Acta Vitaminologica et Enzymologica 29(1-6): 90-96
1975
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-8924 PMID: 1244131 Document Number: 88365
In hypophysectomized female Sprague-Dawley rats and genetically dwarf Snell-Bag mice with a more selective deficiency of somatotropin, brain tryptophan and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were significantly more than in age-matched controls but brain serotonin was similar. When somatotropin was given daily for 7 days, 1.0 mg for rats and 200 mu g for mice, there was a significant fall in brain tryptophan and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. In 7 patients with acromegaly plasma tryptophan was significantly more than in normal controls.