Influence of Histamine on Uterine Metabolism: Stimulation of Incorporation of Radioactivity from Amino Acids Into Protein, Lipid and Purines

Abstract

The incorporation of radioactivity from glycine-U-¹⁴C and L-lysine-U-¹⁴C into constituents of surviving uterine segments of the castrate rat has been studied after pretreatment with estrogen and with histamine. Twenty hr after intraluminal administration of histamine, incorporation into protein of isotope originating from either labeled amino acid was augmented; enhanced incorporation into the adenine and guanine of the mixed nucleic acids occurred at a rate similar to that induced by estrogen. In the case of ¹⁴C originating from glycine, but not lysine, incorporation into lipid was also promoted. These metabolic pathways, previously shown to be estrogen responsive, are thus capable of stimulation by histamine in the absence of the hormone. The findings, therefore, lend support to the significance of the physiological role of histamine in mediation of estrogen action. (Endocrinology74: 372, 1964)