title: Effects of lithium on the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis.
abstract: The effect of lithium on the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis was studied in vivo and in vitro. The levels of plasma vasopressin, ACTH and corticosterone increased after the administration of lithium (LiCl 4 mmol/kg BW, 11 days) in rats, while the tissue vasopressin concentration in the median eminence, the rest of the hypothalamus and the posterior pituitary was decreased. The CRF concentration in the posterior pituitary increased markedly, but it did not change significantly in the median eminence or the rest of the hypothalamus. The elevated plasma ACTH level might be at least partly due to the increased vasopression secretion. Lithium stimulated ACTH secretion per se and also enhanced vasopressin-induced ACTH secretion in cultured pituitary cells and in half pituitary incubations, while it did not affect CRF-induced ACTH secretion. Lithium inhibited CRF-induced cAMP accumulation in half pituitary incubations, while lithium and vasopressin did not affect cAMP accumulation per se or even when administered together. The results suggest that lithium-induced ACTH release is via a cAMP-independent mechanism. Thus, it is possible that lithium stimulates ACTH release by acting directly on the corticotroph, stimulating vasopressin release and potentiating vasopressin-induced ACTH release.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Internal Medicine, Okayama University Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sugawara
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hattori
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takao
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suemaru
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ota
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000032:analysis; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000032:analysis; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000032:analysis; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008094:Lithium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000032:analysis; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014667:Vasopressins; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D008094:Lithium; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D003345:Corticosterone