Effect of noradrenaline and vanadate on sodium,potassium-activated ATPase of human brain cortical homogenate

Human brain cortical homogenate derived from surgical operations exhibited Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase and K-p-nitrophenylphosphatase activity values of 2.12 ± 0.08 μmol P_i/mg protein/15 min and 0.38 ± 0.01 μmol p-nitrophenol/mg protein/15 min, respectively which is in the range of those observed in rat brain cortical homogenates. Vanadate concentration dependently inhibited the activity of both enzymes. Noradrenaline, dopamine and isoprenaline reversed the inhibitory effect of vanadate in the presence of EDTA (0.2 mM). When Mg²⁺ concentration was enhanced from 4 to 24 mM, the inhibitory effect of vanadate (1 μM) was significantly potentiated. Evidence has been obtained that the effect of catecholamines is not a receptor mediated process; antagnoists such as phentolamine, phenoxybenzamine, propranolol, haloperidol failed to prevent the effect of adrenoceptor agonists. It is concluded that there is an interaction between vanadate and noradrenaline on human brain Na, K-ATPase.