title: Effects of the prolonged administration of bradykinin on the rat pituitary-adrenocortical axis.
abstract: The effects of a prolonged administration of bradykinin (BK) and/or D-Arg, [Hyp3, D-Phe7]-BK, a specific antagonist of BK receptors (BK-A) (daily subcutaneous injections of 4 nmol/rat for 6 days) on the function of the pituitary-adrenocortical axis were investigated. BK did not change plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC), but markedly lowered that of corticosterone (PBC) and consequently induced a compensatory hypersecretion of ACTH by the pituitary gland. BK-A did not apparently affect the function and growth of the adrenal gland, but, when administered together with BK, markedly raised both PAC and PBC, and provoked a significant atrophy of the adrenal gland, probably due to loss of parenchymal cells. Taken together, these rather puzzling findings do not appear to provide clear evidence for the involvement of BK in the physiological regulation of adrenocortical growth and steroidogenic capacity in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Malendowicz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Macchi
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Nussdorfer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Markowska
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood; D000700:Analgesics / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001920:Bradykinin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D065168:Bradykinin Receptor Antagonists; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D065168:Bradykinin Receptor Antagonists; D000450:Aldosterone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; C053010:NPC 567; D001920:Bradykinin; D003345:Corticosterone