Indolethylamine‐<i>N</i>‐methyltransferase in developing rabbit lung

Abstract

Abstract The activity of indolethylamine‐ N ‐methyltransferase (INMT) from the rabbit lung is relatively high in the newborn and increases rapidly after birth, attaining its maximum level at 15 days of age. Between the 15th and 19th postnatal days, INMT activity declines to the mature level and remains fairly constant thereafter. The decrease in the activity of the enzyme may be due to the presence of dialyzable endogenous inhibitor(s). The inhibition of the enzyme from lungs of rabbits of varying ages by S ‐adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), N, N dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and chlorpromazine (CPZ) is reported.