title: Evidence that endogenous substance-P (SP) is involved in the maintenance of the growth and steroidogenic capacity of rat adrenal zona glomerulosa.
abstract: A 7-day intraperitoneal infusion with the specific SP antagonist magnitude of D-Pro4,D-Trp7,9-SP4-11 (SP-A; 0.3 nmol.kg-1.min-1) significantly lowered plasma aldosterone (ALDO) concentration and caused atrophy of adrenal zona glomerulosa (ZG) and its parenchymal cells. Dispersed ZG cells from SP-A-infused rats displayed a marked decrease in both their basal and maximally agonist-stimulated ALDO production. The simultaneous infusion of rats with SP (0.03 nmol.kg-1.min-1) completely annulled all these effects of SP-A. The plasma levels of ACTH and corticosterone, and the morphology of adrenal zona fasciculata were not affected by SP-A or SP-A plus SP infusion. These findings suggest that endogenous SP is specifically involved in the positive control of growth and secretion of the rat ZG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazzocchi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Macchi
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Malendowicz
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Nussdorfer
mesh_terms: D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013373:Substance P / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D015384:Zona Glomerulosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D013373:Substance P; D000450:Aldosterone; C045505:substance P (4-11), Pro(4)-Trp(7,9)-