Increased release of [3H]dopamine during low O2 stimulation of rabbit carotid body in vitro

Abstract

Rabbit carotid bodies synthesized [3H]dopamine (DA) during a 3-h incubation period in modified Tyrode's solution containing 40 uM [3H]tyrosine. Following tbis loading period, the carotid bodies were exposed for one additional hour to unlabelled Tyrode's solution equilibrated with either 10% oxygen in nitrogen or with 100% oxygen. The carotid bodies exposed to low O2 released 81% more [3H]dopamine during this one-hour period than the carotid bodies exposed only to pure oxygen. These data suggest that hypoxia induces release of DA from the carotid body.