title: Effect of adrenomedullin on hepatic pericytes (stellate cells) of the rat.
abstract: When hepatic stellate cells (Ito cells, fat-storing cells) were incubated with adrenomedullin, they underwent relaxation as monitored by the silicone-rubber membrane method; 43%, 65% and 87% of stellate cells relaxed 5, 10 and 20 min, respectively, after addition of 10(-6) M adrenomedullin. Adrenomedullin also triggered the dissociation of F-actin and induced transformation of stellate cells to dendritic cell-like structure. When incubated with 10(-6) M of adrenomedullin for 30 min, cellular levels of cAMP increased from the basal value of 10.2 +/- 1.4 to 107 +/- 2.8 pmol/2 x 10(5) cells without affecting cGMP levels. The reaction occurred dose-dependently and was inhibited by an antagonist of calcitonin gene-related peptide. Adrenomedullin had negligible effects on DNA and protein synthesis in proliferating stellate cells. Thus, adrenomedullin is a potent relaxing peptide to hepatic stellate cells and may contribute to the regulation of sinusoidal microcirculation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Osaka City University Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kawada
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inoue
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000502:physiology; D053607:Adrenomedullin; D000818:Animals; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division; D048429:Cell Size; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010455:Peptides / Q000502:physiology*; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D010455:Peptides; D053607:Adrenomedullin; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D006152:Cyclic GMP; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide