title: Effect of histamine on the secretion of pro-opiomelanocortin derived peptides in rats.
abstract: In conscious male rats intracerebroventricular infusion of histamine increased the plasma concentrations of ACTH and beta-endorphin immunoreactivity 2.5-fold (P less than 0.01). Gel filtration of plasma revealed two peaks of beta-endorphin immunoreactivity corresponding to beta-endorphin and beta-lipotropin. The two fractions increased almost equally in histamine-stimulated animals, whereas most of the circulating beta-endorphin immunoreactivity in control animals corresponded to beta-endorphin. Central infusion of the H1-receptor agonist 2-thiazolylethylamine and of the H2-receptor agonists dimaprit or 4-methylhistamine increased the plasma ACTH and beta-endorphin immunoreactivity concentrations 2- and 3-fold, respectively (P less than 0.01). Infused intracerebroventricularly, the H2-receptor antagonists cimetidine or ranitidine prevented the histamine-induced increase in plasma ACTH and beta-endorphin immunoreactivity (P less than 0.01), whereas the H1-receptor antagonist mepyramine inhibited the peptide responses by 70% (P less than 0.01). Infused intra-arterially cimetidine or ranitidine inhibited the histamine-induced increase in plasma ACTH by 80% (P less than 0.01) and plasma beta-endorphin immunoreactivity by 45% (P less than 0.05), whereas mepyramine or the other H1-receptor antagonist SKF-93944 inhibited the ACTH response by 50% (P less than 0.05), but had no effect on the beta-endorphin immunoreactivity. The results indicate that histamine increases the release of the pro-opiomelanocortin derived peptides ACTH, beta-lipotropin and beta-endorphin from the anterior pituitary lobe, whereas an effect of histamine on the release of beta-endorphin from the neurointermediate lobe is possible. The effect of histamine seems primarily mediated by H2-receptors, whereas H1-receptors appear to play a minor role.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Physiology C, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Knigge
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Bach
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matzen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bang
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Warberg
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D006632:Histamine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011969:Receptors, Histamine H1 / Q000187:drug effects*; D011970:Receptors, Histamine H2 / Q000187:drug effects*; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008083:beta-Lipotropin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011969:Receptors, Histamine H1; D011970:Receptors, Histamine H2; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D006632:Histamine; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D008083:beta-Lipotropin