title: Involvement of histamine in the mediation of the stress-induced release of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone in male rats.
abstract: The involvement of histaminergic neurons in the neuroendocrine regulation of the release of the pro-opiomelanocortin-derived peptides adrenocorticotropin (ACTH; anterior pituitary lobe) and alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH; intermediate pituitary lobe) was studied in conscious male rats. Pretreatment with the histamine (HA) synthesis inhibitor (S)-alpha-fluoromethylhistidine (100 mumol/kg i.p. at -6 h or 400 mumol/kg i.p. at -20 and -6 h) had no effect on basal ACTH release but decreased basal alpha-MSH release. The two doses of (S)-alpha-fluoromethylhistidine inhibited by 35 and 50% the ACTH response to inhibited the ACTH and alpha-MSH response to ether stress by 50 and 70%, respectively. Intracerebroventricular administration of the HA metabolism inhibitor SKF91488 (400 or 800 nmol at -15 min) stimulated basal secretion of ACTH and alpha-MSH dose-dependently and augmented slightly the restraint- and ether-stress-induced release of ACTH and alpha-MSH. Intracerebroventricular infusion of the H1 receptor antagonist mepyramine (0.37 mumol) or the H2 receptor antagonists cimetidine (0.40 mumol) or ranitidine (0.40 mumol) inhibited or prevented the alpha-MSH response to intracerebroventricular administration of HA (0.27 mumol), restraint or ether stress. Pretreatment with the dopamine receptor agonist bromocriptine or the beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist propranolol inhibited the alpha-MSH response to HA or stress. The results indicate that hypothalamic histaminergic neurons participate in the neuroendocrine regulation of the pro-opiomelanocortin-derived peptides from the anterior (ACTH) and intermediate (alpha-MSH) pituitary lobe of male rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physiology C, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Knigge
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matzen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hannibal
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Warberg
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001971:Bromocriptine / Q000494:pharmacology; D017259:Dimaprit / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006632:Histamine / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008762:Methylhistidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011433:Propranolol / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000378:metabolism*; D013890:Thiourea / Q000494:pharmacology; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008762:Methylhistidines; C024535:SK&F 91488; D001971:Bromocriptine; D000521:alpha-MSH; C028309:alpha-fluoromethylhistidine; D006632:Histamine; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D011433:Propranolol; D013890:Thiourea; D017259:Dimaprit