Intracranial administration of corticotropin-like peptides increases incidence of amphibian reproductive behavior.
Male rough-skinned newts (Taricha granulosa) exhibit an increase in sexual behavior (amplectic clasping) following intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH 1-39), ACTH 4-10, or melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha MSH). In contrast, intraperitoneal (IP) administration of ACTH 1-39 or corticosterone significantly decreases the incidence of sexual behavior in male newts. These results suggest that a corticotropin-like peptide acts centrally to enhance sexual behavior and that systemic ACTH acts on the interrenal tissue to inhibit sexual behavior by stimulating the release of corticosterone.
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012455:Salamandridae / Q000502:physiology*; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
D010446:Peptide Fragments; C026384:ACTH (1-4); D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones