Time course study on the effect of reserpine on hypothalamic immunoreactive CRF levels in rats.
A time course study on the changes of rat hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) levels and ACTH levels in plasma, pituitary and hypothalamus after an acute treatment with reserpine was examined using a rat CRF RIA. The massive and prolonged depletion of hypothalamic norepinephrine and dopamine levels provoked by a single injection of reserpine (2 and 8 mg/kg, i.p.) caused a transient decrease of hypothalamic CRF levels and ACTH levels in the anterior pituitary glands, and an increase in plasma ACTH levels. There was a strong correlation between the depletion of hypothalamic CRF and norepinephrine levels. These results suggest that: acute depletion of hypothalamic norepinephrine levels cause the initial release of CRF that stimulates pituitary ACTH secretion, and the depletion of CRF and ACTH stores at the early stage; and noradrenergic pathways may be involved in the inhibitory mechanism of CRF release.
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008473:Median Eminence / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012110:Reserpine / Q000494:pharmacology*
D002395:Catecholamines; D012110:Reserpine; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone