Neonatal monosodium glutamate treatment alters both the activity and the sensitivity of the rat hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis.
We have investigated the effects of monosodium glutamate (MSG) lesioning of the arcuate nucleus on both central and peripheral components of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis under basal conditions and under acute and chronic stress. Plasma ACTH levels were lower in MSG-lesioned rats (27 +/- 7 pg/ml) compared with controls (71 +/- 18 pg/ml) while corticosterone levels were elevated (523 +/- 84 ng/ml compared with 176 +/- 34 ng/ml). Quantitative in situ hybridization histochemistry revealed that corticotrophin-releasing factor mRNA levels in the medial parvocellular part of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus were significantly lower in MSG-treated rats. MSG lesioning resulted in an enhanced response of corticosterone to restraint stress (1309 +/- 92 ng/ml compared with 628 +/- 125 ng/ml in sham-lesioned animals), while ACTH responses to restraint stress in MSG-lesioned and sham-MSG groups were not significantly different (160 +/- 24 pg/ml and 167 +/- 24 pg/ml respectively). These data suggest that MSG-lesioned rats have an increased adrenocortical sensitivity. In rats subjected to the chronic osmotic stimulus of drinking 2% saline for 12 days, plasma ACTH levels were significantly reduced (15 +/- 5 pg/ml) and the ACTH and corticosterone responses to restraint stress were eliminated. ACTH levels were also reduced in MSG-treated animals given 2% saline and the ACTH response to acute stress remained absent in these animals. However, a robust corticosterone response to restraint stress was observed in saline-treated MSG-lesioned rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Larsen
P J
PJ
Institute of Medical Anatomy, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Mikkelsen
J D
JD
Jessop
D
D
Lightman
S L
SL
Chowdrey
H S
HS
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012149:Restraint, Physical; D012970:Sodium Glutamate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D012970:Sodium Glutamate; D003345:Corticosterone