title: Effects of pneumadin (PNM) on the adrenal glands. 5. Potent stimulating action of PNM on adrenocortical growth of dexamethasone-administered rats.
abstract: Pneumadin (PNM) is a biologically active decapeptide, originally isolated from mammalian lungs, that has been previously found to acutely stimulate pituitary-adrenocortical axis in rats. The effects of 2-day PNM administration on the atrophic adrenal cortices of rats treated for 8 days with dexamethasone (DX) were investigated. PNM significantly raised adrenal weight and the average volume of adrenocortical cells. The decapeptide strikingly increased ACTH plasma concentration; however, the blood levels of aldosterone and corticosterone, as well as steroid output by adrenal quarters were not apparently affected. In light of these findings the following conclusions can be drawn: (i) PNM enhances the growth of adrenal cortex in DX-administered rats by a mechanism involving the stimulation of ACTH release; and (ii) PNM treatment is probably too short to allow DX-atrophied adrenocortical cells to re-acquire all their differentiated secretory capacities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Markowska
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Macchi
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Nussdorfer
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Malendowicz
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D009842:Oligopeptides; D014667:Vasopressins; C066922:pneumadin; D003907:Dexamethasone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone