title: Hormonal regulation of the mouse adrenal melanocortinergic system.
abstract: Adrenocortical cells of several species have been reported to express significant levels of Agouti-related protein (Agrp) as well as melanocortin 4-receptor (MC4-R). In this study, we used the mouse tumoral adrenal cell line ATC7- L that secretes corticosterone in basal conditions with a 2- fold increase in response to ACTH treatment. We reported that these cells expressed functional MC4-R. They also expressed Agrp mRNA and secreted immunoreactive Agrp in the culture medium. Long-term treatment of ATC7-L with (Nle4,D-Phe7)-alpha MSH (NDP-alpha MSH) or forskolin as well as Agrp strongly reduced MC4-R level by more than 30%. On the contrary, leptin treatment did not modify this level although it significantly reduced MC2-R level. These results could be correlated to some data obtained in vivo on adrenal glands removed from diet-induced obese mice exhibiting a hyperleptinemia, where the level of both MC2-R and MC4-R appeared to be reduced as Agrp mRNA expression level was increased compared to Control mice. All these data would suggest the existence of a link between the metabolic status and the activation of the adrenal melanocortinergic system.
authors.affiliation: Inserm, U 855, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Soltani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Doghman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gout
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rebuffet
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vigier
authors.forename: F Hadj
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Bekkouche
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Naville
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Begeot