title: Effects of glucagon and glucagon-like peptide-1 on glucocorticoid secretion of dispersed rat adrenocortical cells.
abstract: The effects of glucagon and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) on the secretory activity of rat adrenocortical cells have been investigated in vitro. Neither hormones affected basal or agonist-stimulated aldosterone secretion of dispersed rat zona glomerulosa cells or basal corticosterone production of zona fasciculata-reticularis (inner) cells. In contrast, glucagon and GLP-1 partially (40%) inhibited ACTH (10(-9) M)-enhanced corticosterone secretion of inner cells, maximal effective concentration being 10(-7) M. The effect of 10(-7) M glucagon or GPL-1 was suppressed by 10(-6) M Des-His1-[Glu9]-glucagon amide (glucagon-A) and exendin-4(3-39) (GPL-1-A), which are selective antagonists of glucagon and GLP-1 receptors, respectively. Glucagon and GLP-1 (10(-7) M) decreased by about 45-50% cyclic-AMP production by dispersed inner adrenocortical cells in response to ACTH (10(-9) M), but not to the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin (10(-5) M). Again this effect was blocked by 10(-6) M glucagon-A or GLP-1-A. The exposure of dispersed inner cells to 10(-7) M glucagon plus GLP-1 completely suppressed corticosterone response to ACTH (10(-9) M). However, they only partially inhibited (by about 65-70%) both corticosterone response to forskolin (10(-5) M) or dibutyryl-cyclic-AMP (10(-5) M) and ACTH (10(-9) M)-enhanced cyclic-AMP production. Quantitative HPLC showed that 10(-7) M glucagon or GLP-1 did not affect ACTH-stimulated pregnenolone production, evoked a slight rise in progesterone and 11-deoxycorticosterone release, and markedly reduced (by about 55%) corticosterone secretion of dispersed inner adrenocortical cells. In light of these findings the following conclusion are drawn: (i) glucagon and GLP-1, via the activation of specific receptors, inhibit glucocorticoid response of rat adrenal cortex to ACTH; and (ii) the mechanism underlying the effect of glucagon and GLP-1 is probably two-fold, and involves both the inhibition of the ACTH-induced activation of adenylate cyclase and the impairment of the late steps of glucocorticoid synthesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Andreis
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Malendowicz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tortorella
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Nussdorfer
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D003994:Bucladesine / Q000494:pharmacology; D005576:Colforsin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005934:Glucagon / Q000494:pharmacology*; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013256:Steroids / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011498:Protein Precursors; D013256:Steroids; D000804:Angiotensin II; D005576:Colforsin; D000450:Aldosterone; D003994:Bucladesine; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D005934:Glucagon; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D003345:Corticosterone