The effects of nitrous oxide on the secretory activity of pro-opiomelanocortin peptides from basal hypothalamic cells attached to cytodex beads in a superfusion in vitro system.
Dispersed cells from adult rat basal hypothalami, attached to Cytodex-3 microcarrier beads, were placed in a column and superfused with aerated high glucose media or media enriched with variable concentrations of nitrous oxide with oxygen. beta-Endorphin and alpha-MSH content was measured in the effluent collected during superfusion and demonstrated a near constant baseline release. Nitrous oxide, 60% (P less than 0.025) and 80% (P less than 0.02), caused significant increases in release of beta-endorphin. Potassium chloride (50 mM) caused a significant increase in release (P less than 0.007) of beta-endorphin whereas saline and 30% nitrous oxide did not. Neither nitrous oxide-enriched media nor potassium chloride had any statistically significant effect on alpha-MSH release. The increase in beta-endorphin secretory activity during exposure to nitrous oxide demonstrates that nitrous oxide may have a stimulatory effect on central pro-opiomelanocortin neurons.
D000818:Animals; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000295:instrumentation; D003911:Dextrans; D007033:Hypothalamus, Middle / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000494:pharmacology; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000378:metabolism*; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000378:metabolism*
D003911:Dextrans; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D000521:alpha-MSH; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D011189:Potassium Chloride; C052839:Cytodex; D009609:Nitrous Oxide; D010100:Oxygen