title: Serotoninergic receptor activation by dextrofenfluramine enhances the blunted pituitary-adrenal responsiveness to corticotropin-releasing hormone in obese subjects.
abstract: To explore the interrelationships between the serotoninergic system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in human obesity, we evaluated cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) response to synthetic human corticotropin-releasing hormone (hCRH, 1 microgram/kg intravenously [IV]) before and after stimulation of the serotoninergic system by dextrofenfluramine (d-FF, 30 mg/d for 3 months) in nine obese women. These responses were compared with a CRH test (1 microgram/kg) carried out in nine age-matched normal-weight women. Plasma cortisol of obese subjects did not significantly increase after CRH (peak value 127.1 +/- 11.2 ng/mL v 104.1 +/- 9.5 ng/mL). This response was lower (P less than .005) than in the controls, in whom the basal cortisol value of 120.6 +/- 11.8 ng/mL reached a peak value of 221.2 +/- 13.4 ng/mL. However, after administration of d-FF, CRH significantly increased (P less than .0001) plasma cortisol (peak value 170.6 +/- 18.0 ng/mL v 111.5 +/- 10.8 ng/mL) and the response was enhanced (P less than .05) as compared with that obtained before d-FF. The ACTH levels of our patients showed a small increment after CRH injection (peak value 13.5 +/- 1.7 pg/mL v 9.6 +/- 1.1 pg/mL), but the hormonal response was lower (P less than .005) than in controls (peak value 38.1 +/- 5.5 pg/mL v 13.8 +/- 0.8 pg/mL). However, after d-FF, CRH induced a significant increment (P less than .05) in plasma ACTH at 30 minutes (20.4 +/- 3.7 pg/mL v 10.9 +/- 0.9 pg/mL) and 45 minutes (18.0 +/- 2.6 pg/mL), even though this response was not significantly different from that observed before d-FF administration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Medica 1a, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Bernini
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Argenio
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Del Corso
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Vivaldi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Birindelli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Franchi
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005277:Fenfluramine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects*; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D005277:Fenfluramine; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone