Evidence that long-term methionine-enkephalin administration stimulates rat adrenal zona fasciculata.
Short-term methionine-enkephalin (DALA) treatment did not induce evident changes in the adrenal zona fasciculata and in the basal corticosterone output of dexamethasone-treated rats administered with maintenance doses of ACTH. Conversely, prolonged (5 days) DALA treatment caused a notable hypertrophy of zona fasciculata cells, along with a significant increase in the plasma concentration of corticosterone. It is suggested that enkephalins exert a trophic action on the rat zona fasciculata.
D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; D003907:Dexamethasone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003345:Corticosterone