title: Neuronal and paracrine regulation of adrenal steroidogenesis: interactions between acetylcholine, serotonin and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) on corticosteroid production by frog interrenal tissue.
abstract: The adrenocortical cells of frog interrenal (adrenal) tissue are controlled by multiple factors. Recently, we have shown that corticosteroidogenesis is stimulated by acetylcholine released from splanchnic nerve terminals as well as by serotonin and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) which are both contained in chromaffin cells. Since these 3 putative neuroregulators are known to interact with each other on various target organs, we have investigated possible coordinate actions of acetylcholine, serotonin and VIP on adrenal steroid production, using a perifusion system technique for frog interrenal tissue. Simultaneous infusion of submaximal doses of VIP (10(-5) M) and acetylcholine (5 X 10(-5) M) induced stimulations of corticosteroids (corticosterone and aldosterone) which were strictly additive. When VIP (10(-5) M) and serotonin (5 X 10(-6) M) were infused together, a potentiation of the individual responses was observed. In contrast, concomitant infusion of acetylcholine (5 X 10(-5) M) and serotonin (5 X 10(-6) M) caused a total blockage of the stimulatory effect of serotonin. Muscarine (10(-5) M) caused a similar blockade of the response of adrenocortical cells to serotonin while nicotine (5 X 10(-5) M) did not alter the stimulatory effect of serotonin. The inhibitory effect of acetylcholine on serotonin-induced steroidogenesis was antagonized by atropine (10(-5) M). Thus, acetylcholine appears to block the corticotropic action of serotonin by interacting with typical muscarinic receptors. Taken together our results indicate that 3 of the neuroregulators which participate in the control of adrenal steroidogenesis, namely acetylcholine, serotonin and VIP, may interact on their target cell to modulate the activity of their congeners.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Groupe de Recherche en Endocrinologie Moléculaire, UA C.N.R.S. 650, Unité Alliée à l'INSERM, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Rouen, Mont-Saint-Aignan, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Leboulenger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benyamina
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Delarue
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Netchitaïlo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saint-Pierre
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vaudry
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000818:Animals; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D011895:Rana ridibunda; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D012701:Serotonin; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D000450:Aldosterone; D000109:Acetylcholine; D003345:Corticosterone