title: Neuropeptide Y (NPY) actions on the corticotroph cell of the anterior pituitary gland are not mediated by a direct effect.
abstract: Neuropeptide Y has been implicated in the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the regulation of growth and sexual function, and is the most potent stimulant of feeding yet reported. The actions of NPY on the HPA axis are thought to be mediated via an activation of the corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) neurones within the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. The ability of NPY to directly influence the corticotroph cell is currently controversial. These studies investigated whether NPY could have a direct influence on anterior pituitary adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) release. In dispersed male rat anterior pituitary cells, NPY (1-1000 nM) had no effect on either basal or CRH (1 nM) stimulated ACTH release. Basal release, NPY (1000 nM) 111 +/- 6% vs. control 103 +/- 5%. CRH stimulated release, CRH (1 nM) with NPY (1000 nM) 226 +/- 23% vs. CRH (1 nM) alone 228 +/- 20%. In addition, NPY (1000 nM) had no effect on either basal or CRH (1 nM) stimulated ACTH release in the mouse corticotroph cell line, AtT-20. Thus, in two models of the anterior pituitary corticotroph NPY had no effect on ACTH release. NPY induced activation of the HPA axis is likely to be mediated via a modulation of hypothalamic CRH and not via a direct action at the level of the anterior pituitary.
authors.affiliation: Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Endocrine Unit, Hammersmith Campus, London, UK.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Small
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Todd
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghatei
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Bloom
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone