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M Grino

Publications and source records attributed to M Grino.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Glutamate and N-methyl-D-aspartate stimulate rat hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing factor secretion in vitro.

It is known that in vivo excitatory amino acids (EAA) stimulate the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis. However their site of action is not fully understood. We investigated the possibility of a direct action of EAA on the secretion of the major adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) secretagogue: corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) from incubated rat hypothalamic slices. N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) or L-glutamate (1 x 10(-7) to 1 x 10(-3) M) stimulated in a dose-dependent fashion CRF release. The maximal effect was obtained at a concentration of 1 x 10(-4) M for both drugs. The IC50 was 1.3 x 10(-5) M and 3.3 x 10(-5) M for NMDA and L-glutamate, respectively. Incubation with 2.5 x 10(-4) M D-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (a NMDA receptor antagonist) or 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate (a metabotropic receptor antagonist) was without significant effect on basal CRF secretion and completely blocked the increase in CRF release induced by 5 x 10(-5) M NMDA or L-glutamate, respectively. Incubation with 1 x 10(-4) M kainate or 0.5 x 10(-4) M AMPA did not change basal CRF secretion. Incubation with 2 x 10(-4) M gamma-D-glutamylglycine (a specific antagonist of kainate and AMPA receptor) had no effect under basal conditions or during exposure to kainate or AMPA. Our data demonstrate that EAA could stimulate directly CRF secretion, by an action through NMDA and metabotropic receptors, but not kainate or AMPA receptors. These findings may be relevant to the regulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary adrenal axis, both under basal conditions and during exposure to stress.

Animals

The modulatory role of estrogens on corticotropin-releasing factor gene expression in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of ovariectomized rats: role of the adrenal gland.

In vitro, estrogens stimulate corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) gene transcription. In ovariectomized (OVX) rats, estrogens have a negative effect on CRF mRNA levels in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. This suggests that the stimulatory influence of estrogens found in vitro may be masked in vivo by an inhibitory effect mediated through neural and/or humoral factors. Glucocorticoids may be involved in this phenomenon since estrogens increase circulating corticosterone levels in OVX rats. We studied the effect of 7-day 17 beta-estradiol (E2) treatment on CRF gene expression in the paraventricular nucleus of 2-week OVX mature rats after sham operation or adrenalectomy (ADX) with or without corticosterone replacement. In sham ADX animals, E2 administration increased plasma corticosterone concentrations, did not change the binding capacity or the affinity of circulating corticosteroid binding globulin, and decreased hypothalamic CRF gene expression. Following ADX, CRF mRNA levels increased and were normalized by corticosterone treatment. Estrogens induced a significant build up in CRF mRNA concentrations in both ADX or ADX corticosterone-replaced animals. Our data demonstrate that the positive effect of estrogens on CRF gene expression found in vitro or in vivo after ADX is antagonized, in vivo when the adrenal glands are intact, by a negative influence. They strongly suggest that the increased circulating corticosterone levels induced by E2 administration mediate the inhibitory effect of estrogens on CRF mRNA levels. These observations may explain the gender related differences in the basal and stress-induced hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal activity.

Adrenal Glands

[Regulation of corticotropic function in stressful situations].

ACTH secretion is mainly controlled by two hypothalamic neurohormones: corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and arginine vasopressin (AVP). Both peptides are synthesized in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) (in parvo-cellular neurons for CRH and in magnocellular neurons for most AVP). Under basal conditions, some CRH neurons coexpress AVP (CRH+/AVP+ neurons). This colocalisation represents a form of functional plasticity since the number of CRH+/AVP+ neurons increases after acute or repeated stress exposure. Experiments in sheep and rat (studies on the secretion of both peptides in hypophysial portal blood, effects of anti-CRH and anti-AVP immunisation upon ACTH secretion) indicate that stress-induced ACTH stimulation involves both CRH and AVP. Unlike CRH which participates also in the maintenance of basal ACTH and glucocorticoids secretion, the role of AVP appears to be limited to corticotropic response to stress.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone

Effect of chronic treatment with the antidepressant tianeptine on the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis.

The effects of acute and chronic administration of tianeptine, a novel antidepressant agent, on the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis were studied in the adult male rat. A single injection of tianeptine did not alter the activity of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis. In contrast, chronic administration of tianeptine (10 mg/kg twice a day for 15 days) induced a significant decrease in the concentration of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in the hypothalamus and adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) in the anterior lobe of the pituitary. Chronic tianeptine treatment did not modify CRF levels in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, and did not alter alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone and beta-endorphin levels in the neurointermediate lobe of the pituitary. Using the in situ hybridization technique, we observed that chronic administration of tianeptine did not modify CRF mRNA levels in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. The effect of chronic tianeptine treatment on the neuroendocrine response to stress was also investigated. Tube restraint stress for 30 min induced a significant depletion of hypothalamic CRF and a substantial increase of plasma ACTH and corticosterone. Tianeptine abolished the stress-induced reduction of hypothalamic CRF concentration and markedly reduced the stress-induced increase in plasma ACTH and corticosterone levels. Taken together, these results suggest that tianeptine acts primarily at the level of the hypothalamus: (1) in unstressed rats, tianeptine reduces hypothalamic CRF and pituitary ACTH contents; (2) in stressed animals, tianeptine attenuates the activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis.

Animals

Blockade of alpha 2-adrenoceptors stimulates basal and stress-induced adrenocorticotropin secretion in the developing rat through a central mechanism independent from corticotropin-releasing factor and arginine vasopressin.

In the neonatal rat, the response of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis to stressful stimuli is markedly reduced during the first 2 weeks of life [stress-hyporesponsive period (SHRP)]. In this report, we studied the effect of idazoxan (an alpha 2-adrenergic antagonist) on plasma ACTH and corticosterone levels in 8-day-old rats. Indeed, it is known that in the adult rat, blockade of alpha 2-adrenoceptors increases ACTH secretion stimulated by CRF and arginine vasopressin (AVP) injection. Injection of 2.5 micrograms/g idazoxan induced a rapid (within 30 min) increase in basal plasma ACTH and corticosterone levels that lasted for 60 min. Injection of increasing doses of idazoxan led to a dose-dependent stimulation of ACTH and corticosterone levels. Administration of 2.5 micrograms/g idazoxan significantly increased the ACTH response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia, whereas it potentiated and accelerated the ACTH response to ether exposure stress. We next examined ACTH secretion from superfused anterior pituitary glands. Neither the alpha 2-adrenergic agonist clonidine nor idazoxan changed the basal ACTH secretory rate. Idazoxan had no effect on CRF- and AVP-stimulated ACTH secretion. This indicates that in vivo, idazoxan acts at a suprapituitary level. To investigate a possible effect of idazoxan on presynaptic alpha 2-adrenoceptors, we studied the effect of idazoxan on the concentrations of norepinephrine (NE) and L-DOPA in punches of locus coeruleus after dopa-decarboxylase blockade. Idazoxan injection induced a decrease in the NE content, without changing L-DOPA levels, indicating that idazoxan can act at the level of presynaptic alpha 2-adrenoceptors, inducing an increased release and/or degradation of NE without any effect on catecholamines synthesis. Finally, we investigated a possible involvement of CRF and AVP in mediating the effect of alpha 2-adrenoceptor blockade on ACTH secretion. Passive immunization against CRF or AVP did not change the ACTH response to idazoxan administration, whereas idazoxan pretreatment had simply an additive effect on CRF- and lysine vasopressin-stimulated ACTH secretion. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that during the SHRP, blockade of alpha 2-adrenoceptors induces an increase in both basal and stress-induced ACTH secretion. They suggest that a decreased catecholaminergic tone, consecutive to an increased occupation of alpha 2-adrenoceptors, acting through a central mechanism independent from CRF and AVP may be responsible for the SHRP in the developing rat.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists

Insulin-induced hypoglycaemia increases colocalization of corticotrophin-releasing factor and arginine vasopressin mRNAs in the rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus.

The regulation of ACTH secretion during stress is a multifactorial process that mainly involves two hypothalamic neurohormones: corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) and arginine vasopressin (AVP). In this report we measured, using semiquantitative in situ hybridization, the concentrations of CRF and AVP mRNA in hypophyseotrophic paraventricular parvocellular cell bodies of male rats after an acute (3-h) exposure to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia. Insulin injection (2.5 IU/kg) induced a significant decrease in blood glucose levels and a strong increase in plasma ACTH concentrations. The concentration of CRF mRNA in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) was significantly increased after insulin-induced hypoglycaemia (150% of control levels), while the number of CRF mRNA-containing cell bodies was not changed. Double-labelling experiments demonstrated that the number of CRF mRNA-containing cell bodies that also contained AVP mRNA was doubled after insulin injection. These data demonstrate that the established increased colocalization of AVP immunoreactivity in nerve terminals immunoreactive for CRF after exposure to stress follows a pretranslational activation of AVP synthesis. Cell-by-cell analysis indicated that the mean CRF hybridization signal was increased in double-labelled cells (about 150% of control levels), suggesting that the increase in CRF gene expression occurs equally in the AVP-synthesizing and in the AVP-deficient CRF mRNA-containing cell bodies. The mean AVP hybridization signal in the double-labelled cells was decreased, suggesting that the amount of AVP mRNA was unchanged in the cell bodies that expressed both CRF and AVP in the basal state and that AVP mRNA levels in the cell bodies recruited after insulin-induced hypoglycaemia were below control values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone

Effect of POMC-derived peptides on corticosterone secretion during the stress hypo-responsive period in rat.

During the stress hyporesponsive period (postnatal days 2-10), the stimulation of corticosterone secretion by ACTH is very low. In our study, we have observed that administration of ACTH during 3 consecutive days is followed by a striking increase in corticosterone response to an acute ACTH test. A comparable potentiation of corticosterone secretion was observed after a similar treatment with Lys gamma 3-MSH. The 3 day-treatment with each peptide induced an increase in adrenal weight. Similar data were obtained with alpha-MSH. However, corticosterone response to ACTH was not significantly altered following the same pattern of alpha-MSH administration.

Adrenal Cortex

Passive immunization and hypothalamic peptide secretion.

Passive immunization is a common approach used to eliminate the biological activity of an endogenous substance by its binding to a specific antibody (Ab). Surprisingly little information has been gathered on the mechanisms involved. Moreover, the possibility that immunoneutralization could affect also the secretion of the antigen itself has been mostly ignored. To study hypothalamic neuropeptide secretion under the condition of passive immunization, labeled and unlabeled monoclonal antibody (MoAb) against arginine vasopressin (AVP) was injected intravenously. After 2 h a similar amount of 125I-MoAb was found in hypophyseal portal and peripheral (femoral artery) plasma, showing a distribution volume of 73.2 ml/kg. Assessment of the MoAb dilution in the same plasma samples from the binding studies revealed substantially higher dilutions (800-5,700 ml/kg). Such a MoAb dilution (saturation) would be attained by the binding of 130-290 pmol AVP/ml plasma. The calculated amount of plasma AVP decreased by one half within the interval from 2 to 24 h after Ab injection, similarly as did the 125I-MoAb content. Intravenous injection of polyclonal corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) Ab resulted in a decrease of plasma adrenocorticotropin and corticosterone levels. After 24 h the dilution of the Ab in portal plasma exceeded two times that in peripheral plasma. CRH concentrations of 0.6-2.5 pmol/ml were found by specific radioimmunoassay after its dissociation from the Ab in plasma. The CRH concentration was higher in portal than in peripheral plasma and was related to the amount of the Ab injected. CRH mRNA levels in the paraventricular nucleus were significantly increased in CRH Ab as compared with normal rabbit serum injected rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals

In situ hybridization of arginine vasopressin (AVP) heteronuclear ribonucleic acid reveals increased AVP gene transcription in the rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus in response to emotional stress.

The regulation of anterior pituitary adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) secretion during stress involves several hypothalamic neurohormones, including arginine vasopressin (AVP). In situ hybridization techniques have been used to study the regulation of neuropeptide messenger ribonucleic acids in the hypothalamus. Owing to the relatively slow time course of the changes in cytoplasmic messenger ribonucleic acid concentrations, rapid alterations in the level of neuropeptide gene transcription could not be detected. Because of its rapid processing, the nuclear level of the heteronuclear ribonucleic acid should reflect the rate of its synthesis, namely the transcription of the gene. We have used in situ hybridization with a probe complementary to a portion of an intronic sequence of the rat AVP gene to study rapid changes in the level of AVP gene transcription during emotional stress. The specificity of our technique was demonstrated by the localization of the hybridization signals in the paraventricular nucleus, the supraoptic nucleus and the suprachiasmatic nucleus, and was confirmed by the nuclear localization of the labeling. Isolation and exposure of male rats to a novel environment induced an activation of the pituitary-adrenal axis and an increase in AVP heteronuclear ribonucleic acid concentrations in the paraventricular nucleus 2 h after the onset of the stress, suggesting that an increased AVP gene transcription may play a role in the activation of the pituitary-adrenal axis in response to emotional stress.

Animals

[Stress. Neuroendocrine aspects].

All kind of stress produce an endocrine response. These hormonal responses can serve as stress indicators. The main peripheral endocrine responses to stress are the activation of adrenal corticoids, the stimulation of Growth Hormone (GH) and prolactin secretion, and the inhibition of insulin and gonadal secretion. Except for the inhibition of insulin release, all these hormonal variations depend on the adenohypophysis activity: stimulation of Adrenocorticotrophin hormone (ACTH), GH and prolactin, and inhibition of gonadotrophins (LH-FSH) secretions. Several lines of evidence demonstrate that specific hypothalamic Neuro-hormones stimulate or inhibit the hypophysial activity in response to stress. However, due to methodological difficulties, only measurements of peripheral hormones can be used as stress indicators.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone

Effect of chronic active immunization anti-corticotropin-releasing factor on the pituitary-adrenal function in the sheep.

ACTH and cortisol diurnal variations and responses to two types of stress (insulin-induced hypoglycemia and isolation-restraint stress) or to an acute injection of lysine-vasopressin were studied in intact and anti-corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) actively immunized rams. Immunization was obtained by the injection of synthetic ovine CRF coupled to BSA with carbodiimide. All animals developed antibodies anti-CRF and displayed an alteration of their general condition and a body weight reduction. The mean basal ACTH and cortisol secretion as well as the number and mean amplitude of diurnal pulses of these hormones was significantly reduced in the group of anti-CRF immunized rams. However, the reduction in all three parameters was much more pronounced for cortisol than for ACTH. No ACTH and cortisol response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia and isolation-restraint stress was observed. The stimulating action of lysine-vasopressin on ACTH release was significantly reduced as compared to controls. These results indicate that CRF is a major physiological component of the ovine hypothalamo-hypophysial-adrenal axis and participates in the events that regulate ACTH and cortisol diurnal variations and response to stress.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone

Stimulation of adrenocorticotropin secretion by insulin-induced hypoglycemia in the developing rat involves arginine vasopressin but not corticotropin-releasing factor.

In the neonatal rat, the response of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis to stressful stimuli is markedly decreased during the first 2 weeks of life. This peculiar period was named "stress hyporesponsive period." In this report, we studied the effect of insulin-induced hypoglycemia, known as a strong stimulator of the corticotroph function in the adult rat. Rats (8- or 20-day-old) were injected ip with 3 IU/kg synthetic insulin and were killed at various times. In 20-day-old rats, hypoglycemia induced a rapid drop in blood glucose concentrations accompanied by a stimulation of ACTH and corticosterone secretion which reached maximal values within 30 min. On the opposite, in 8-day-old rats, despite a rapid decrease in blood glucose levels, insulin injection induced a gradual rise of plasma ACTH and corticosterone concentrations which peaked at 90 min. This delayed response of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis to hypoglycemia in the youngest rats does not seem to be due to a difference of sensitivity to insulin-induced hypoglycemia since injection of increasing doses of insulin (0.3, 0.75, or 3 IU/kg body wt) induced a dose-related decrease of blood glucose concentrations and a rise in plasma ACTH and corticosterone levels, comparable in the two age group studied. Basal or hypoglycemia-stimulated absolute corticosterone values were much lower in 8-day-old rats than in 20-day-old animals, suggesting an immaturity of the adrenal glands in the youngest animals. Daily ACTH injection, starting 3 days before the experiment, had a trophic effect on the adrenal glands leading to a more important increase of corticosterone levels after hypoglycemia in 8-day-old rats. Our results confirm that there is an immaturity of the adrenal glands in young rats, probably due to the low plasma ACTH levels during the neonatal period. To determine the respective role of the two major hypothalamic ACTH secretagogues, we studied the effect of passive immunization against CRF or arginine vasopressin (AVP) on plasma ACTH response after hypoglycemia. Passive immunization against AVP decreased significantly hypoglycemia-stimulated ACTH secretion in both 8- and 20-day-old rats, while no change of plasma ACTH response to insulin injection was observed after passive immunization against CRF. This results suggest that CRF does not seem to be involved in the regulation of ACTH secretion after hypoglycemia in the young rat while AVP seems to be the main hypothalamic stimulatory factor for anterior pituitary corticotrophs response to hypoglycemia during the postnatal period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adrenal Glands

Effect of chronic active immunization with antiarginine vasopressin on pituitary-adrenal function in sheep.

ACTH and cortisol diurnal variations and responses to two types of stress (insulin-induced hypoglycemia and isolation-restraint stress) and to an acute injection of CRF were determined in intact as well as in actively antiarginine vasopressin (AVP)-immunized rams. All immunized sheep developed antibodies to AVP, displayed diabetes insipidus, and looked healthy in spite of their lower gain weight. Basal secretion and diurnal variations of ACTH and cortisol were unaltered in the group of anti-AVP-immunized animals. In contrast, ACTH and cortisol responses to both types of stress and CRF injection were significantly reduced compared to those in controls. These results suggest that endogenous AVP plays a physiological role in the corticotropic response to stress. However, endogenous AVP does not appear to affect basal secretion and diurnal variations of ACTH and cortisol.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone

Ontogeny of insulin-induced hypoglycemia stimulation of adrenocorticotropin secretion in the rat: role of catecholamines.

We previously reported that insulin-induced hypoglycemia (IIH) induces a large increase in plasma ACTH and corticosterone levels in the developing rat during the stress hyporesponsive period and that this effect is mediated, at least partially, by arginine vasopressin (AVP), but not corticotropin-releasing factor. Nevertheless, ACTH secretion in response to IIH in rats immunoneutralized against AVP was still stimulated, suggesting that other regulatory factors participate in the stimulation of ACTH secretion during IIH. It has been suggested that, in the adult rat, during profound hypoglycemia, epinephrine may act at the pituitary level through beta 2-adrenergic receptors to stimulate ACTH secretion. In this report, we studied the effect of the blockade of beta-adrenergic receptors on the pituitary-adrenal axis response to IIH. Rats (20 or 8 day old) were pretreated with saline or 2.5 mg/kg propranolol (a beta-adrenergic receptors antagonist) and subsequently injected with 3 IU/kg insulin. In 20-day-old rats, insulin injection induced a large increase of plasma ACTH concentrations that were unaffected by propranolol pretreatment. In 8-day-old rats, the IIH-induced increase of plasma ACTH levels was significantly reduced by propranolol pretreatment. Pretreatment of 8-day-old rats with 5 mg/kg CGP 20712A (a selective beta 1-adrenergic receptor antagonist) did not change the plasma ACTH response to insulin injection, while pretreatment with 2.5 mg/kg ICI 118551 (a selective beta 2-adrenergic receptor antagonist) resulted in a significant decrease of the IIH-induced stimulation of ACTH secretion. We next studied the effect of the blockade of circulating AVP and/or beta-adrenergic receptors on the pituitary response to IIH. Pretreatment of 8-day-old rats with antiserum anti-AVP or propranolol was followed by a significant reduction of IIH-induced increase of plasma ACTH concentrations. No additive effect was found after pretreatment with both antiserum anti-AVP and propranolol, suggesting that the stimulatory effect of catecholamines during IIH in 8-day-old rats is mediated through a modulation of hypothalamic AVP secretion.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists

Effects of metyrapone infusion on corticotropin-releasing factor and arginine vasopressin secretion into the hypophysial portal blood of conscious, unrestrained rams.

The effects of rapid changes of circulating cortisol levels on ACTH secretion and on corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) concentrations into hypophysial portal blood were studied in six adult rams. Pharmacological adrenalectomy was obtained by 3 h metyrapone infusion (100 mg.kg-1.h-1). Blockade of cortisol synthesis induced a tenfold increase of plasma ACTH levels accompanied by a moderate increase of CRF secretion (150% vs preinjection levels) and a large increment of AVP secretion (535% vs preinjection levels). ACTH levels remained high during the 3 h following the end of metyrapone infusion. During the same period, CRF secretion was still elevated (231% vs preinjection levels), while AVP secretion was further stimulated (2,151% vs preinjection levels). Subsequent hydrocortisone infusion (66 micrograms.kg-1.h-1) for 2 h induced a rapid decrease of both ACTH and AVP secretion, while CRF levels in hypophysial portal blood still remained elevated. These data suggest that changes in ACTH secretion induced by acute modifications of the negative glucocorticoid feedback are, in addition to the well documented direct effect of cortisol on the corticotropes, mainly mediated by variations of hypothalamic AVP secretion.

Animals

Striatal proenkephalin turnover and gene transcription are regulated by cyclic AMP and protein kinase C-related pathways.

Preproenkephalin metabolism, in the rat, was studied in primary striatal neurons maintained in a chemically defined medium. Acute treatment (30 min) with forskolin (10(-5) M) or phorbol 12 myristate 13 acetate (10(-7) M) resulted, respectively, in a two- and seven-fold increase in methionine-enkephalin secretion. Chronic treatment with forskolin or phorbol 12 myristate 13 acetate (24 h) induced a 100% increase in methionine-enkephalin content (forskolin) and on the other hand a 50% decrease in methionine-enkephalin (phorbol 12 myristate 13 acetate). Both treatments increased preproenkephalin mRNA levels in a time-dependent manner, this augmentation being observable after 180 min by Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization. These data indicate that under chronic stimulation, with either forskolin or phorbol 12 myristate 13 acetate, proenkephalin turnover is accelerated. However, after stimulation with phorbol 12 myristate 13 acetate, the more potent methionine-enkephalin secretagogue, increased peptide synthesis is not sufficient to replenish methionine-enkephalin intracellular stores. Preproenkephalin gene transcription was analysed by introducing the preproenkephalin gene promoter fused to the bacterial acetyl chloramphenicol transferase reporter gene into primary neurons. Chronic stimulation (48 h) by forskolin (10(-5) M) or phorbol 12 myristate 13 acetate (10(-7) M) of striatal neurons transfected with this fusion gene increased chloramphenicol acetyltransferase activity six-fold and the two effects were additive. These data suggest that the cyclic AMP and the protein kinase C pathways directly activate preproenkephalin gene transcription.

Animals