title: Long-term trophic effect of sodium restriction on the rat adrenal zona glomerulosa. II. The possible involvement of the inhibition of the dopaminergic system.
abstract: The effects of chronic administration of metoclopramide or bromocriptine (two drugs which act as antagonist and agonist of dopamine receptors) on the zona glomerulosa of captopril-treated rats administered maintenance doses of angiotensin II, were investigated by combined morphometric and biochemical techniques. It was found that metoclopramide provoked a significant hypertrophy of the zona glomerulosa and its parenchymal cells, coupled with a persistent rise in the plasma concentration of aldosterone, only in rats fed a normal diet. Conversely, bromocriptine exerted an evident inhibitory effect on the zona glomerulosa growth and steroidogenic capacity only in chronically sodium-deprived animals. These findings strongly suggest that sodium balance modulates the activity of the dopaminergic system, whose chronic suppression may be involved in the mechanism underlying the extra-angiotensin adrenoglomerulotrophic effect of prolonged sodium restriction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Padua/Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Robba
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rebuffat
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazzocchi
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Nussdorfer
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001971:Bromocriptine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002216:Captopril / Q000494:pharmacology; D004039:Diet, Sodium-Restricted / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000209:etiology; D008787:Metoclopramide / Q000494:pharmacology; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000804:Angiotensin II; D001971:Bromocriptine; D000450:Aldosterone; D002216:Captopril; D012964:Sodium; D008787:Metoclopramide; D011188:Potassium; D004298:Dopamine