Insulin hypoglycemia increases the levels of neuropeptide Y and calcitonin gene-related peptide, but not of chromogranins A and B, in rat chromaffin granules

The levels and subcellular distribution of chromogranin A and B, of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and of neuropeptide Y (NPY) were investigated in rat adrenals before and after insulin treatment. Six days after insulin-induced hypoglycemia the levels of chromogranin A and B were similar to controls, however those of NPY and CGRP were increased by a factor of 2.5 and 35, respectively. This treatment also elevated mRNA levels of NPY and CGRP, establishing an increased biosynthesis of these two neuropeptides. As shown by subcellular fractionation, all peptides were present in chromaffin granules after insulin treatment. Furthermore, immunostaining at the ultrastructural level demonstrated the co-localization of chromogranin A, NPY and CGRP within the same chromaffin granules. These results establish that insulin-induced hypoglycemia changes the levels of the secretory peptides in chromaffin granules leading to an altered composition of the secretory cocktail. Apparently, the biosynthesis of the secretory peptides and their storage organelles can be regulated in distinct patterns.