Inhibition by glucocorticoids of PGE2 and ACTH secretion induced by phorbol esters and EGF in rat pituitary cells

In rat pituitary cells in primary culture glucocorticoids specifically inhibit PGE2 and ACTH secretions induced by TPA, a potent phorbol ester derivative (triamcinolone acetonide greater than dexamethasone greater than cortisol greater than or equal to corticosterone). However, while PGE2 secretion can be inhibited up to 80%, ACTH secretion can only be inhibited up to 40%. Similar inhibitory effects are observed with mepacrine, an inhibitor of phospholipase A2 (PLA2). Glucocorticoids having also been described as PLA2-inhibitors, their inhibitory effect on TPA-induced secretions could thus be related to their anti-PLA2 activity. Their inhibitory effect on PLA2 has been attributed to their ability to induce the synthesis of lipocortin, the activity of which could be regulated by activation of kinase C or EGF-receptor kinase. Since in our model, EGF-induced PGE2 secretion is also inhibited by dexamethasone, these results suggest that a lipocortin-like protein could be present in pituitary cells and involved in the effect of TPA and EGF on PGE2, and, at least partly, on ACTH release.     

Functional compartmentalization of arginine-vasopressin-activated cyclic AMP in anterior pituitary gland: the presence of a compartment activated by prostaglandin E2

AVP(10(-8)-10(-6)M) increased ACTH as well as PGE2 release from rat anterior pituitary quarters in vitro in a concentration dependent manner. IBMX (0.1 mM), a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, increased the ACTH response to AVP. The cAMP content in pituitary tissue was increased by AVP. Cyclooxygenase inhibition by indomethacin(1.4 X 10(-5) M) or diclofenac (1.8 X 10(-5)M) led to a potentiation of AVP-evoked ACTH secretion and to a decrease in AVP-stimulated cAMP formation. PGE2(10(-6)M) significantly increased pituitary cAMP content and indomethacin did not affect cAMP levels activated by PGE2. PGE2 attenuated the AVP-induced ACTH release. These results indicate that at least two functional compartments of AVP-activated cAMP responses are involved in the AVP-induced ACTH release. One compartment is directly activated by AVP and participates in the propagation of AVP-induced ACTH release. The second compartment is activated by PGE2. The contribution of the second compartment to the regulation of ACTH secretion is not well understood since PGE2 shows an inhibitory effect on AVP-induced ACTH secretion.     

Involvement of protein kinase C in prostaglandin E2-induced catecholamine release from cultured bovine adrenal chromaffin cells

We recently reported that prostaglandin (PG) E2 stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism in cultured bovine adrenal chromaffin cells and that PGE2 and ouabain induced a gradual secretion of catecholamines from the cells (Yokohama, H., Tanaka, T., Ito, S., Negishi, M., Hayashi, H., and Hayaishi, O. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 1119-1122). Here we examined the involvement of two signal pathways, Ca2+ mobilization and protein kinase C activation resulting from phosphoinositide metabolism, in the PGE2-induced catecholamine release. Either the Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin or 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) could enhance the release in the presence of ouabain, and ionomycin-induced release was additive to PGE2-induced release, but TPA-induced release was not additive. PGE2 dose-dependently stimulated the formation of diacylglycerol and caused the translocation of 4% of the total protein kinase C activity to become membrane-bound within 5 min. These effects were specific for PGE2 and PGE1 among PGs tested (PGE2 = PGE1 greater than PGF2 alpha greater than PGD2). Furthermore, the phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C inhibitor neomycin inhibited PGE2-induced accumulation of inositol phosphates, diacylglycerol formation, translocation of protein kinase C, and also stimulation of catecholamine release. Both PGE2- and TPA-induced release were inhibited by the depletion of protein kinase C caused by prolonged exposure to TPA, but ionomycin-induced release was not inhibited. We recently found that the amiloride-sensitive Na+, H+-antiport participates in PGE2-evoked catecholamine release (Tanaka, T., Yokohama, H., Negishi, M., Hayashi, H., Ito, S., and Hayaishi, O. (1990) J. Neurochem. 54, 86-95). In agreement with our recent report, PGE2 and TPA induced a sustained increase in intracellular pH that was abolished by the protein kinase C inhibitor staurosporine but not by the calmodulin inhibitor W-7. Ionomycin also induced a marked increase in intracellular pH, but this increase was abolished by W-7 but not by staurosporine. These results demonstrate that PGE2-induced activation of the Na+, H(+)-antiport and catecholamine release in the presence of ouabain are mediated by activation of protein kinase C, rather than by Ca2+ mobilization, resulting from phosphoinositide metabolism.     

Participation of voltage-sensitive calcium channels in pituitary hormone release

The role of extracellular Ca2+ in pituitary hormone release was studied in primary cultures of rat anterior pituitary cells. The basal levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), thyrotropin (TSH), and adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) secretion were independent of extracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]e). In contrast, the basal levels of growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL) release showed dose-dependent increases with elevation of [Ca2+]e, and were abolished by Ca2+-channel antagonists. Under Ca2+-deficient conditions, BaCl2 mimicked the effects of calcium on PRL and GH release but with a marked increase in potency, and also increased basal LH and FSH release in a dose-dependent manner. In the presence of normal [Ca2+]e, depolarization with K+ maximally increased cytosolic [Ca2+] ([Ca2+]i) from 100 to 185 nM and elevated LH, FSH, TSH, ACTH, PRL, and GH release by 7-, 5-, 4-, 3-, 2-, and 1.5-fold, respectively. These effects of KCl were abolished in Ca2+-deficient medium or in the presence of the Ca2+-channel antagonist, Co2+, and were diminished by the dihydropyridine Ca2+-channel antagonist, nifedipine. The Ca2+-channel agonist BK 8644 (100 nM) enhanced the hormone-releasing actions of 25 mM KCl upon PRL, LH, FSH, GH, TSH, and ACTH by 2.3-, 2.0-, 1.8-, 1.7-, 1.6-, and 1.4-fold, respectively. The dose- and voltage-dependent actions of BK 8644 were specific for individual cell types; BK 8644 enhanced GH, PRL, TSH, LH, and ACTH secretion in the absence of any depolarizing stimulus, with ED50 values of 8, 10, 150, 200, and 400 nM, respectively. However, in the presence of 50 mM KCl, the ED50 values for BK 8644 were 1.5, 2, 3, 5, and 7 nM for GH, PRL, ACTH, TSH, and LH, respectively. [3H]BK 8644 bound specifically to pituitary membranes with Kd values of 0.8 nM and concentrations of about 900 channels per cell. These observations provide evidence for the presence and participation of voltage-sensitive calcium channels in the secretion of all five populations of anterior pituitary cells.     

Aberrant production and regulation of proopiomelanocortin-derived peptides in ectopic Cushing's syndrome

A 64 year old woman with a pancreatic islet cell tumor developed Cushing's syndrome. Glucocorticoid secretion did not decrease after low or high dose dexamethasone administration, and the Cushing's syndrome was cured by removal of tumor tissue. Immunohistochemistry and radioimmunoassays revealed the presence of immunoreactive ACTH, beta-endorphin and alpha-MSH in the tumor cells. Gel-permeation chromatography confirmed that beta-endorphin was the predominant opioid peptide produced by the tumor. The tumor was shown to contain a single 1.2 kilobase RNA species which hybridized to a 32P human POMC-cDNA; this POMC RNA was identical in size to that isolated from a normal human pituitary. In dispersed monolayer culture, CRF failed to elicit ACTH release from the tumor cells, but dexamethasone caused a paradoxical increase in ACTH secretion in vitro. This study demonstrates that aberrant regulation of POMC synthesis and peptide processing can be seen in tumors which synthesize a POMC RNA identical in size to that made in the pituitary gland.     

Acute adrenocortical stimulation by recombinant gamma interferon in human controls

We examined the effect of 20 micrograms recombinant gamma-interferon (rec-gamma-IFN) upon corticotropin (ACTH) and cortisol secretion in 10 healthy male controls. We observed that rec-gamma-IFN enhances cortisol secretion with maxima around 3 hours after injection of the test dose. This effect was suppressible by a single dose of 1.5 mg dexamethasone and was not associated with increased ACTH secretion. Rec-gamma-IFN also failed to enhance ACTH secretion from a pituitary cell culture. From these data we conclude that rec-gamma-IFN acts on lymphoid cells which in turn release a yet unidentified substance that directly activates the adrenocortex in a feedback controlled manner.     

Growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 stimulates secretion and synthesis of adrenocorticotropic hormone in mouse pituitary

Growth hormone (GH)-releasing peptides (GHRPs) are synthetic peptides which induce strong GH release in both animals and humans. Among them, GHRP-2 is known to stimulate GH release by acting at both hypothalamic and pituitary sites, but also induces adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) release in healthy subjects. GHRP-2 may stimulate ACTH release directly via GHRP receptor type 1a in ACTH-producing tumors. GHRP-2 increases ACTH secretion in rat in vivo, but not ACTH release from rat primary pituitary cells. In the present study, in order to elucidate the mechanism underlying ACTH secretion by GHRPs, mouse pituitary cells were stimulated by GHRP-2. GHRP receptor mRNA was expressed in the mouse pituitary, and GHRP-2 directly stimulated secretion and synthesis of ACTH in the mouse anterior pituitary cells. GHRP-2 increased intracellular cyclic AMP production. H89, a potent protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor, and bisindolylmaleimide I, a selective protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, inhibited the GHRP-2-induced ACTH release, and that H89, but not bisindolylmaleimide I, inhibited the GHRP-2-induced proopiomelanocortin mRNA levels. Together, the GHRP-2-induced ACTH release was regulated via both PKA and PKC pathways in the mouse pituitary cells, while ACTH was synthesized by GHRP-2 only via the PKA pathway.     

The possible involvement of cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase in AVP-induced ACTH secretion

AVP (10(-7) M) induced ACTH as well as PGE2 release from rat anterior pituitary quarters. Inhibitors of P-450 monooxygenase, metyrapone (10 mM) and piperonyl butoxide (1 mM and 10 mM) attenuated the ACTH and PGE2 response to AVP. 7,8-benzoflavon (10 mM) which inhibits 3-methylchloranthrene inducible form of P-450 isoenzymes showed no inhibition of AVP-induced ACTH secretion. The decrease in ACTH response to AVP was still observed following the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis by indomethacin. These results suggest that cytochrome P-450 monoocygenase systems are involved in the process of AVP-induced ACTH secretion, 3-methylchloranthrene inducible form of P-450 isoenzymes do not seem to be involved in this process.     

Multireceptor-induced release of adrenocorticotropin from anterior pituitary tumor cells

Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), (?) isoproterenol and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) induced cyclic AMP synthesis and the release of immunoreactive adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) from clonal mouse AtT-20 pituitary tumor cells. CRF and (?) isoproterenol together produced an additive increase in cyclic AMP formation but a less than additive effect on ACTH secretion. VIP with either CRF or (?) isoproterenol produced additive increases in both cyclic AMP and ACTH secretion. Forskolin, an activator of adenylate cyclase stimulated the release of ACTH suggesting that cyclic AMP mediates some of the effects of hormone-receptor activation on ACTH secretion. The action of all three receptor agonists and forskolin on ACTH release was blocked by dexamethasone treatment. The release process, but not the changes in cyclic AMP synthesis was calcium dependent with all these hormones. The calcium ionophore, A-23187, increased ACTH secretion without altering intracellular cyclic AMP content. Its effect on secretion was not additive with either CRF, (?) isoproterenol or VIP. These observations indicate that hormone-induced regulation of ACTH secretion converges at varying intracellular locations.     

PGE2 release is independent of upregulation of Group V phospholipase A2 during long-term stimulation of P388D1 cells with LPS

P388D1 cells release arachidonic acid (AA) and produce prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) upon long-term stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The cytosolic Group IVA (GIVA) phospholipase A2 (PLA2) has been implicated in this pathway. LPS stimulation also results in increased expression and secretion of a secretory PLA2, specifically GV PLA2. To test whether GV PLA2 contributes to PGE2 production and whether GIVA PLA2 activation increases the expression of GV PLA2, we utilized the specific GIVA PLA2 inhibitor pyrrophenone and second generation antisense oligonucleotides (AS-ONs) designed to specifically inhibit expression and activity of GV PLA2. Treatment of P388D1 cells with antisense caused a marked decrease in basal GV PLA2 mRNA and prevented the LPS-induced increase in GV PLA2 mRNA. LPS-stimulated cells release active GV PLA2 into the medium, which is inhibited to background levels by antisense treatment. However, LPS-induced PGE2 release by antisense-treated cells and by control cells are not significantly different. Collectively, the results suggest that the upregulation of GV PLA2 during long-term LPS stimulation is not required for PGE2 production by P388D1 cells. Experiments employing pyrrophenone suggested that GIVA PLA2 is the dominant player involved in AA release, but it appears not to be involved in the regulation of LPS-induced expression of GV PLA2 or cyclooxygenase-2.     

Inhibition of corticotropin release in vitro by dexamethasone, aldosterone and spironolactone

Dexamethasone, aldosterone and spironolactone inhibited the release of immunoreactive corticotropin (ACTH) from primary culture of the rat anterior pituitary cells. The steroids inhibited only the ACTH release stimulated by Pitressin and not the basal ACTH release by non-stimulated cells. On a molar basis, aldosterone appears to be the most efficient inhibitor of ACTH release while the effect of spironolactone is similar to the effect of dexamethasone. Simultaneous incubation with aldosterone and spironolactone inhibited the ACTH release to the same extent as spironolactone alone. This indicates that aldosterone's effect on ACTH release is also inhibited by spironolactone at the pituitary level.     

Interferon γ stimulates prostaglandin E2 production by mouse Kupffer cells

When mononuclear phagocytes, including Kupffer cells, are activated by various agents, they synthesize and release arachidonic acid metabolites, prostaglandins (PGs) and leukotrienes (LTs). In this study, we examined the effect of in vitro Kupffer cell activation with recombinant murine IFN gamma on PGE2 and LTB4 secretion. IFN gamma enhanced PGE2 secretion, and this effect of IFN gamma was stronger than that of IL-1 or TNF. Moreover, IFN gamma promoted LTB4 release especially in the absence of PGs. On the other hand, dexamethasone and indomethacin inhibited and, EGTA and TMB-8, which reduce intracellular Ca++ Levels, blocked IFN gamma induced PGE2 production, which suggested that the activation of phospholipase A2 and cyclooxygenase in Kupffer cells requires the elevation of intracellular Ca++ levels.     

电场刺激对离体温育垂体前叶促肾上腺皮质激素分泌的影响

本实验应用离体温育大鼠垂体前叶组织块结合电场刺激及放射免疫测定方法,观察了垂体前叶内的神经纤维兴奋对促肾上腺皮质激素（ＡＣＴＨ）分泌的影响以及其它因素的作用。结果表明,一定参数的电场刺激使温育的大鼠四分之一垂体前叶组织块ＡＣＴＨ分泌增加,能被河豚毒素（ＴＴＸ）和藜芦碱部分阻断,此效应也可被地塞米松显著抑制,而同一参数的电场刺激与促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素（ＣＲＨ）诱发的ＡＣＴＨ分泌没有相互作用。经典神经递质受体阻断剂阿托品、心得安、酚妥拉明对电场刺激诱发的ＡＣＴＨ分泌没有显著影响;ＧＡＥＡ＿Ａ受体拮抗剂荷包牡丹碱明显促进此效应。该作用不受Ｐ物质拮抗剂ｓｐａｎｔｉｄｅ的影响,而降钙素基因相关肽（ＣＧＲＰ）受体拮抗剂ＣＧＲＰ片段８－３７能部分阻断这一作用。上述结果提示电场刺激所诱发的ＡＣＴＨ分泌可能部分由垂体前叶内ＣＧＲＰ能神经纤维介导。     

High concentrations of catecholamines selectively diminish the sensitivity of CRF-stimulated ACTH release by cultured rat pituitary cells to the suppressive effects of dexamethasone

ACTH-release by primary cultures of rat anterior pituitary cells in response to CRF, vasopressin, epinephrine, norepinephrine and VIP is readily suppressible by dexamethasone. Rat hypothalamic extract-induced ACTH release is less sensitive to the inhibitory effect of dexamethasone than that elicited by CRF and the other secretagogues mentioned above. In studying the additive and potentiating effect on ACTH release of CRF in combination with vasopressin, VIP and the catecholamines it became evident that only the combination of micromolar concentrations of epinephrine or norepinephrine together with nanomolar concentrations of CRF will make ACTH release significantly less sensitive to the suppressive effect of dexamethasone. Other combinations of CRF and vasopressin or CRF and VIP will render ACTH release as suppressible to dexamethasone, as that elicited by each of these compounds by itself. This observation in the rat might explain at least in part the observation that a diminished suppressibility of the pituitary-adrenal axis to dexamethasone can be found in patients with psychiatric disease, especially depression.     

垂体前叶内神经纤维可能参与ACTH分泌的调节

我们建立了垂体组织块短时温育并施加电场刺激的离体实验体系,运用此方法并结合放射免疫测定激素含量,观察了大鼠垂体前叶内神经纤维对促肾上腺皮质激素（ＡＣＴＨ）释放的影响。结果表明,电场刺激能够促使垂体前叶ＡＣＴＨ释放显著增加,刺激参数为强度３０ｍＡ,波宽０．５ｍｓ,频率１０Ｈｚ。这个效应可为温育液中加入河豚毒素（ＴＴＸ）和藜芦碱所阻断,但ＴＴＸ不能阻断精氨酸加压素（ＡＶＰ）诱发的ＡＣＴＨ分泌。同样参数的电场刺激对分散培养的大鼠垂体前叶细胞ＡＣＴＨ的分泌没有显著作用。以上结果说明,我们所用参数的电场刺激产生的效应是兴奋了垂体前叶内的神经纤维,而非直接刺激腺细胞所致。上述结果提示：垂体前叶激素分泌的调节除了传统的体液途径之外,还可能存在直接的神经控制。     

Evidence that the effects of arginine-8-vasopressin (AVP) on pituitary corticotropin (ACTH) release are mediated by a novel type of receptor

Ovine corticotropin releasing factor (oCRF-41) and AVP act synergistically to stimulate pituitary ACTH secretion. In the present study we have investigated whether the effect of AVP, either in the presence or in the absence of oCRF-41 (0.5 nmol/l), could be blocked by V1 (pressor)-antagonists. Furthermore, oxytocin, and [1-deamino,8-D-arginine] vasopressin (dDAVP) were tested for their ability to release ACTH. All experiments were carried out in vitro, using segments of rat anterior pituitary glands. The V1-antagonist [1-deamino,penicillamine(o-methyl-tyrosine)]AVP inhibited ACTH release induced by AVP or AVP + oCRF-41. However, it also had some agonistic activity which was more pronounced in the presence of oCRF-41. An equally potent V1-antagonist, [1-beta-mercapto-beta, beta-cyclopentamethyleneproprionic acid (o-methyl-tyrosine)]AVP, failed to inhibit AVP-stimulated ACTH secretion, and also had weak agonist potency. The relatively selective V2 (antidiuretic)-agonist dDAVP was 20-30 fold less potent than AVP. Oxytocin, a weak V1- and V2-agonist was only 4-8 fold less potent than AVP. These data are compatible with the suggestion that AVP receptors on pituitary corticotrope cells are neither classical V1- nor V2-receptors.     

Site of calcium requirement for stimulation of ACTH release in rat anterior pituitary cells in culture by synthetic ovine corticotropin-releasing factor

Synthetic ovine corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) causes a 6- to 8-fold stimulation of ACTH release and cAMP accumulation in rat anterior pituitary cells in culture at ED50 values of 1 and 4 nM, respectively. Removal of Ca2+ from the incubation medium reduces CRF-induced ACTH release by 70% but have no effect on cyclic AMP accumulation. ACTH release induced by 8-Br-cAMP is inhibited by 65% in the absence of Ca2+. The Ca2+ ionophore A23187 does not alter spontaneous ACTH release. Verapamil, a pharmacological agent that blocks Ca2+ entry into cells, has no influence on spontaneous or CRF-induced ACTH release. The present data clearly demonstrate a role of Ca2+ in CRF action at a step subsequent to cAMP formation and suggest that Ca2+ is mobilized from intracellular stores during CRF stimulation.     

Effect of dexamethasone on the release of pituitary hormones in monolayer cultures of rat pituitary cells

The effect of dexamethasone on the release of ACTH, GH, PRL, LH and TSH was studied in monolayer cultures of rat pituitary cells in 4-hour incubation. With or without the addition of rat hypothalamic extract, the release of GH was significantly inhibited by dexamethasone at concentrations higher than 10(-9) M, although less remarkably than that of ACTH. Intracellular ACTH and GH were unchanged. PRL, LH and TSH were not affected. These results indicate that dexamethasone, when exerted for 4 hours, suppressed the release of GH as well as ACTH, at least in part, at the pituitary level.     

Evidence That Receptor-Linked G Protein Inhibits Exocytosis by a Post-Second-Messenger Mechanism in AtT-20 Cells

In AtT-20 cells somatostatin inhibits the secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) through the activation of GTP binding proteins (G proteins) linked to second messengers such as calcium and cyclic AMP (cAMP). Recently, it has been proposed that there may be G proteins that regulate directly the exocytotic machinery. We have investigated whether somatostatin could inhibit secretion at a step distal to second messengers through a GTP binding protein. For these studies two experimental paradigms were used: (1) intact cells stimulated by calcium ionophores and (2) digitonin-permeabilized cells exposed to buffers of increasing Ca2+ concentrations. Somatostatin inhibited by 70% the ACTH release caused by the calcium ionophore ionomycin without modifying the ionophore-induced elevation in cytosolic [Ca2+]. This effect was cAMP independent because (1) it was observed in the presence of high concentrations of membrane-permeant cAMP analogues, and (2) it was not accompanied by a change in cAMP levels. The effect was also independent of the levels of activators of protein kinase C because it could be produced in the presence of high concentrations of phorbol esters. The action of somatostatin was prevented by pertussis toxin. In digitonin-permeabilized AtT-20 cells somatostatin inhibited release induced by calcium buffers in a GTP-dependent manner. These two observations indicate the involvement of a G protein. It is proposed that a G protein coupled to somatostatin receptors inhibits the intracellular machinery of secretion at a step distal to second messengers, perhaps at the exocytotic site.