title: Hormonal status modifies renin-angiotensin system-regulating aminopeptidases and vasopressin-degrading activity in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis of male mice.
abstract: Local renin-angiotensin systems (RAS) have been postulated in brain, pituitary and adrenal glands. These local RAS have been implicated, respectively, in the central regulation of the cardiovascular system and body water balance, the secretion of pituitary hormones and the secretion of aldosterone by adrenal glands. By other hand, it is known that the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is involved in blood pressure regulation, and is affected by sex hormones. The aim of the present work is to analyze the influence of testosterone on RAS-regulating aminopeptidase A, B and M activities and vasopressin-degrading activity in the HPA axis, measuring these activities in their soluble and membrane-bound forms in the hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal glands of orchidectomized males and orchidectomized males treated subcutaneously with several doses of testosterone. The present data suggest that in male mice, testosterone influences the RAS- and vasopressin-degrading activities at all levels of the HPA axis.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Physiology, Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Experimental and Health Sciences, University of Jaén, Paraje Las Lagunillas s/n, E-23071 Jaén, Spain.
authors.forename: María Jesús
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Martínez-Martos
authors.forename: María Dolores
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Mayas
authors.forename: María Pilar
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Carrera
authors.forename: María Jesús
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ramírez-Expósito
mesh_terms: D000626:Aminopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009919:Orchiectomy; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D014667:Vasopressins; D013739:Testosterone; D000626:Aminopeptidases