Pineal gland: dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate stimulation of labeled melatonin production.

In organ cultures of intact rat pineal glands, N(6)O(2')-dibutyryl adenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate stimulates the conversion of tritiated trytophan to tritiated melatonin, as does L-norepinephrine. Potential sites of stimulation of melatonin production by dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate are discussed, based on observations that the dibutyryl analog also stimulates the conversion of serotonin labeled with carbon-14 to carbon-14-labeled melatonin without altering hydroxyin-dole-O-methyl transferase activity or intracellular accumulation of serotonin labeled with carbon-14.