Premium
Stimulatory Effect of Calcitonin Gene‐Related Peptide on Adrenocorticotropin Release from Rat Anterior Pituitary Cells
Author(s) -
Iino Kazumi,
Oki Yutaka,
Tominaga Tatsumi,
Iwabuchi Masayasu,
Ozawa Megumi,
Watanabe Fumie,
Yoshimi Teruya
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of neuroendocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.062
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1365-2826
pISSN - 0953-8194
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2826.1998.00213.x
Subject(s) - calcitonin gene related peptide , medicine , endocrinology , anterior pituitary , calcitonin , neuropeptide , adenylate kinase , protein kinase a , chemistry , peptide hormone , corticotropin releasing hormone , intracellular , receptor , biology , hormone , kinase , biochemistry
In the present study, we examined the direct regulatory effect of rat calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) on adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) release from rat cultured anterior pituitary cells. CGRP significantly increased ACTH release at concentrations of 10 −8 –10 −11 M. The ACTH release was gradually increased by CGRP concentrations lower than 10 −10 M, and was decreased at concentrations higher than 10 −9 M, presenting a bell‐shaped dose‐response curve. As well as having an additive effect on corticotropin‐releasing factor‐induced ACTH release, CGRP stimulated the accumulation of intracellular cAMP. The CGRP‐induced ACTH release was inhibited by a protein kinase A inhibitor, suggesting that its stimulatory effect on the ACTH release was mediated via an adenylate–cyclase–protein kinase system. CGRP‐like immunoreactive nerve fibers have been reported to innervate the anterior pituitary, so that the stimulatory effect of CGRP on the ACTH release suggests that this peptide may be involved in neural regulation of hormone secretion in the anterior pituitary.