title: Properties and regulation of high-affinity pituitary receptors for corticotropin-releasing factor.
abstract: Specific receptors for corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) were identified in the rat anterior pituitary gland by binding studies with 125I-Tyr-CRF. Binding of the labeled CRF analog to pituitary particles was rapid and temperature-dependent, and reached steady state within 45 min at 22 degrees C. The CRF binding sites were saturable and of high affinity, with dissociation constant (Kd) of 0.76 X 10(-9) M. Pituitary binding of 125I-Tyr-CRF was inhibited by CRF, Tyr-CRF and the active 15-41 fragment of CRF, but not by the inactive 21-41 CRF fragment and unrelated peptides. The binding-inhibition potencies of the CRF peptides were similar to their activities as stimuli of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) release. The high-affinity CRF sites were markedly reduced in adrenalectomized rats, and this change was reversed by dexamethasone treatment. These data indicate that the high-affinity CRF sites demonstrated in the anterior pituitary are the functional receptors which mediate the stimulatory action of the peptide on ACTH release, and that CRF receptors are down-regulated during increased secretion of the hypothalamic hormone.
mesh_terms: D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone