Corticotropin-releasing factor-producing neurons in the rat activated by interleukin-1

Intraperitoneal administration of human recombinant interleukin-1 (IL-1) to rats can increase blood levels of corticosterone and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). The route by which IL-1 affects pituitary-adrenal activity is unknown. That the IL-1-induced pituitary-adrenal activation involves an increased secretion of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is indicated by three lines of evidence. First, immunoneutralization of CRF markedly attenuated the IL-1-induced increase of ACTH blood levels. Second, after blockade of fast axonal transport in hypothalamic neurons by colchicine, IL-1 administration decreased the CRF immunostaining in the median eminence, indicating an enhanced release of CRF in response to IL-1. Third, IL-1 did not stimulate ACTH release from primary cultures of anterior pituitary cells. These data further support the notion of the existence of an immunoregulatory feedback circuit between the immune system and the brain.     

Prostaglandin involvement in hypothalamic control of gonadotropin and prolactin release

Prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) injected into the third ventricle of ovariectomized rats increased plasma luteinizing hormone dramatically and follicle stimulating hormone slightly. PGE(1) elevated prolactin; PGF(1alpha) or PGF(2alpha) had no effect. PGE(2) or PGE(1) injected directly into the anterior pituitary were ineffective. These results suggest that specific prostaglandins act at the hypothalamus to control pituitary hormone release.     

DNA synthesis in the anterior pituitary of the male rat: effect of castration and photoperiod

Castration increased incorporation of tritiated thymidine into total DNA in the anterior pituitary gland. Furthermore, there was a threefold increase in the percentage of labeled basophils 1 month after castration. Exposure of rats to constant light or dark also changed DNA synthesis; these changes depended on age of the animal and on exposure length. The results reflect physiologically induced mitotic activity in specific classes of pituitary cells and further suggest that neuroendocrine mechanisms may be involved in control of cell turnover in the gland.     

Inhibition of adrenocorticotropic hormone secretion in the rat by immunoneutralization of corticotropin-releasing factor

Intravenous administration of rabbit antiserum to ovine corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) markedly reduced the CRF-induced rise of plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in intact nonstressed adult male rats while blocking more than 75 percent of the ACTH release observed in rats exposed to ether stress. Furthermore, antiserum to CRF significantly lowered ACTH levels in adrenalectomized animals. These results suggest that endogenous CRF plays a physiological role in regulating ACTH secretion.     

Stimulation of gonadotropin release by a non-GnRH peptide sequence of the GnRH precursor

The human gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) precursor comprises the GnRH sequence followed by an extension of 59 amino acids. Basic amino acid residues in the carboxyl terminal extension may represent sites of processing to biologically active peptides. A synthetic peptide comprising the first 13 amino acids (H X Asp-Ala-Glu-Asn-Leu-Ile-Asp-Ser-Phe-Gln-Glu-Ile-Val X OH) of the 59-amino acid peptide was found to stimulate the release of gonadotropic hormones from human and baboon anterior pituitary cells in culture. The peptide did not affect thyrotropin or prolactin secretion. A GnRH antagonist did not inhibit gonadotropin stimulation by the peptide, and the peptide did not compete with GnRH for GnRH pituitary receptors, indicating that the action of the peptide is independent of the GnRH receptor. The GnRH precursor contains two distinct peptide sequences capable of stimulating gonadotropin release from human and baboon pituitary cells.     

Somatomedin-C mediates growth hormone negative feedback by effects on both the hypothalamus and the pituitary

Somatomedin-C stimulates somatostatin release to a maximum of 390 percent of basal release during short-term (20-minute) incubation of rat hypothalamus. It has no effect on basal or stimulated growth hormone release from primary cultures of rat adenohypophyseal cells during a 4-hour incubation, but inhibits stimulated release by more that 90 percent after 24 hours. These findings suggest that somatomedin-C participates in the growth hormone negative feedback loop with an immediate effect on hypothalamic somatostatin and a delayed effect on the anterior pituitary.     

Induced expression of the glucocorticoid receptor in the rat intermediate pituitary lobe

Synthesis and release of pro-opiomelanocortin-derived peptides are under differential regulation in the anterior and intermediate lobes of the pituitary. Glucocorticoids inhibit synthesis of pro-opiomelanocortin-related peptides in the anterior lobe but not in the intermediate lobe. These two lobes are also characterized by differences in neural innervation and blood flow, both of which may represent routes of access for regulatory factors (the intermediate lobe is avascular). Immunoreactive glucocorticoid receptor, which can be demonstrated in many tissues, is absent from the intermediate lobe. Immunocytochemistry was used to demonstrate the presence of immunoreactive glucocorticoid receptor in the intermediate lobe after pituitary stalk transection, neurointermediate lobe grafts to kidney capsule, or monolayer culture of neurointermediate pituitary cells. This appearance of the glucocorticoid receptor is presumably a consequence of removal of intermediate pituitary cells from neural influences that may be responsible for inhibiting their expression under normal conditions in vivo.     

Prolactin stimulation of maternal behavior in female rats

Inexperienced, hypophysectomized female rats treated with steroids were used in experiments to investigate the roles of the pituitary gland and prolactin in the expression of maternal behavior. Administration of ovine prolactin or treatment with ectopic pituitary grafts, which release prolactin into the circulation, stimulated maternal care in these females toward rat young. Steroid treatment alone, while stimulating maternal behavior in rats with intact pituitary glands, did not facilitate maternal responsiveness in hypophysectomized females. These findings indicate a stimulatory behavioral role for pituitary prolactin in the establishment of maternal care and suggest that exposure to prolactin during pregnancy helps to stimulate the immediate onset of maternal behavior at parturition.     

Release of multiple hormones by a direct action of interleukin-1 on pituitary cells

Exposure to bacterial endotoxins has long been known to stimulate the release of anterior pituitary hormones; administration of endotoxin was at one time a common clinical test of anterior pituitary function. Endotoxin is a potent stimulus for production of the endogenous pyrogenic protein, interleukin-1 (IL-1), by macrophages and monocytes. The possibility that IL-1 has a direct effect on the secretion of hormones by rat pituitary cells in a monolayer culture was investigated. Recombinant human IL-1 beta stimulated the secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone, luteinizing hormone, growth hormone, and thyroid-stimulating hormone. Increased hormone secretion into culture supernatants was found with IL-1 concentrations ranging from 10(-9) M to 10(-12) M. Prolactin secretion by the monolayers was inhibited by similar doses. These concentrations of IL-1 are within the range reported for IL-1 in serum, suggesting that IL-1 generated peripherally by mononuclear immune cells may act directly on anterior pituitary cells to modulate hormone secretion in vivo. Incubation of IL-1 solutions with antibody to IL-1 neutralized these actions. These pituitary effects of IL-1 suggest that this monokine may be an important regulator of the metabolic adaptations to infectious stressors.     

Estradiol: specific binding by pituitary nuclear fraction in vitro

The nuclear fraction of a homogenate of anterior pituitary has a marked binding affinity for estradiol but not for other hormonal steroids. Characteristics of the uptake of estradiol by pituitary nuclear fraction are like those reported for the uterus. Study in vitro will be useful in elucidating how direct estrogen feedback control of anterior pituitary function is mediated.     

Methamphetamine-induced insulin release

Administration of methamphetamine or amphetamine to rats and mice produces a rapid increase in the level of immunoassayable plasma insulin not attributable to hyperglycemia. While in the mouse this release of insulin is followed consistently by a profound hypoglycemia, in the rat this response is variable. Studies in vitro demonstrate that insulin is released by a direct effect of methamphetamine on the pancreas.     

Somatostatin: hypothalamic inhibitor of the endocrine pancreas

Somatostatin, a hypothalamic peptide that inhibits the secretion of pituitary growth hormone, inhibits basal insulin secretion in fasted cats and rats. In fasted baboons both basal and arginine-stimulated secretion of insulin and glucagon are inhibited. Somatostatin appears to act directly on the endocrine pancreas. The action is dose-related, rapid in onset, and readily reversed.     

Mineral element correlation with adenohypophyseal-adrenal cortex function and stress

A statistical correlationl was made between adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and four elements in rats under control, stress, and stress-recovery conditions. Blood serum zinc showed a strong positive correlation with the rise in ACTH during stress and its decline in stress recovery. Serum calcium, copper, and magnesium demonstrated little correlation with ACTH changes. The strong ACTH-zinc correlation points to an as yet undefined interaction between ACTH and zinc     

GHS-R1a在大鼠下丘脑-垂体-卵巢轴上的定位及其mRNA的周期性表达

取成年SD大鼠的下丘脑、垂体、卵巢组织制成石蜡切片,采用PV-9000两步法免疫组织化学检测GHS-R1a在下丘脑-垂体-卵巢轴上的定位.实时荧光定量PCR检测GHS-Rla mRNA在不同发情周期大鼠F丘脑-垂体-卵巢轴上的表达.结果表明:GHS-R1a主要分布在下丘脑的弓状核、腹内侧核、正中隆起等,腺垂体的嗜色细胞...     

Gamma-aminobutyric acid effects on pituitary gonadotropin secretion

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) injected into the third ventricle of male rats promotes the release of pituitary luteinizing hormone (LH) but not follicle-stimulating hormone. When GABA was injected directly into the pituitary it was ineffective in promoting LH release. This evidence suggests that GABA may play a role in controlling the discharge of hypothalamic luteinizing hormone releasing factor.     

Hypothalamic regulatory hormones

The molecular structures of several polypeptides isolated from hypothalamic tissue have been established and the synthesis of these compounds has been achieved. These polypeptides selectively stimulate or inhibit the release of anterior pituitary hormones and melanocyte-stimulating hormone. Various studies indicate their important physiological role and support the concept that some of these polypeptides are hormones. Some synthetic hypothalamic hormones and their derivatives may find important clinical and veterinary applications.     

Nicotine blocks the suckling-induced rise in circulating prolactin in lactating rats

In lactating rats the rapid suckling-induced release of pituitary prolactin into circulating blood is inhibited by a subcutaneous injection of nicotine. This treatment does not block the lesser "stress-induced" rise in prolactin in response to either. Although nicotine may impair milk production by its effect on prolactin release, it does not appear to block milk ejection from the lactating mammary gland.     

Induction of the intermediate pituitary by stress: synthesis and release of a nonopioid form of beta-endorphin

beta-Endorphin in the intermediate lobe of the pituitary gland is posttranslationally modified to produce opioid inactive peptides. Whether these are metabolites or biologically relevant products has not been known. It was found that repeated stress induces increased biosynthesis and release of beta-endorphin-like substances from the intermediate lobe of rats and that opioid-inactive N-acetylated beta-endorphin-(1-31) is selectively made and liberated. The possible role of this nonopioid product and the selective release of peptide forms are discussed.     

Inhibin-mediated feedback control of follicle-stimulating hormone secretion in the female rat

The secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) by the anterior pituitary gland is regulated by the interaction of hypothalamic and gonadal hormones. Recently, proteins termed inhibins that selectively suppress FSH secretion have been purified and characterized from the gonadal fluids of several species. Antibodies to a synthetic peptide encompassing the amino terminal 25 residues of the recently characterized porcine inhibin were used to develop a specific radioimmunoassay (RIA) for inhibin and to neutralize endogenous inhibin during the estrous cycle of the rat. The administration of 20 international units of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) stimulated the secretion of inhibin in intact immature female rats, whereas ovariectomy caused an abrupt decrease in plasma inhibin concentrations that were not prevented by the injection of PMSG. The infusion of a polyclonal antiserum to inhibin, from 12 noon on proestrus to 1 a.m. on the morning of estrus, as well as its acute intravenous injection during diestrus I or II, caused an increase in plasma FSH (but not luteinizing hormone) concentrations. These results support the hypothesis of a feedback loop between the release of ovarian inhibin and FSH in the female rat.