scholarly journals A Possible Mechanism for the Action of Adrenomedullin in Brain to Stimulate Stress Hormone Secretion

Endocrinology ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 145 (11) ◽  
pp. 4890-4896 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meghan M. Taylor ◽  
Willis K. Samson

Abstract Adrenomedullin (AM) has been reported to have actions at each level of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, suggesting that the peptide plays a role in the organization of the neuroendocrine responses to stress. We examined the mechanism by which AM regulates the central nervous system branch of the HPA axis as well as the possible role of AM in the modulation of the releases of two other hormones, prolactin and GH, whose secretions also are altered by stress. Intracerebroventricular administration of AM led to elevated plasma corticosterone levels in unrestrained, conscious male rats. This effect was abrogated by pretreatment with a CRH antagonist, suggesting that AM activates the HPA axis by causing the release of CRH into hypophyseal portal vessels. In addition, AM given intracerebroventricularly stimulated the release of prolactin but did not alter the secretion of GH. We propose that AM produced in the brain may be an important neuromodulator of the hormonal stress response.

Reproduction ◽  
2002 ◽  
pp. 497-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
DR Grattan

The role of prolactin in the regulation of mammary gland development and function during pregnancy and lactation is well established. However, in addition, prolactin appears to have a much wider role in the physiology of lactation. There is widespread expression of prolactin receptors in the hypothalamus during lactation, indicative of a multi-faceted role for prolactin in regulating hypothalamic function. During pregnancy and lactation, the maternal brain undergoes structural and functional modification, allowing the establishment of appropriate behaviour to feed and nurture the offspring, to adjust to the nutritional and metabolic demands of milk production, and to maintain appropriate hormone secretion to allow milk synthesis, secretion and ejection. The coordination of such a range of neurobiological and neuroendocrine adaptations requires an endocrine signalling mechanism, capable of communicating the reproductive state to the brain. Evidence indicates that prolactin is part of this mechanism.


2007 ◽  
Vol 292 (1) ◽  
pp. R382-R387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Willis K. Samson ◽  
Sara L. Bagley ◽  
Alastair V. Ferguson ◽  
Meghan M. White

Hypocretin/orexin acts pharmacologically in the hypothalamus to stimulate stress hormone secretion at least in part by an action in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, where the peptide's receptors have been localized. In addition, orexin acts in the brain to increase sympathetic tone and, therefore, mean arterial pressure and heart rate. We provide evidence for the role of endogenously produced hypocretin/orexin in the physiological response to immobilization stress and identify the receptor subtype responsible for this action of the peptide. Antagonism of the orexin type 1 receptor (OX1R) in the brain prevented the ACTH-stimulating effect of centrally administered hypocretin/orexin. Furthermore, pretreatment of animals with the OX1R antagonist blocked the ACTH response to immobilization/restraint stress. The OX1R antagonist did not, however, block the pharmacological or physiological release of prolactin in these two models. Antagonism of the OX1R also blocked the central action of orexin to elevate mean arterial pressures and heart rates in conscious rats. These data suggest receptor subtype-selective responses to hypocretin/orexin and provide further evidence for the importance of endogenously produced peptide in the physiological control of stress hormone secretion.


2014 ◽  
Vol 306 (10) ◽  
pp. R722-R727 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gina L. C. Yosten ◽  
Willis K. Samson

Nesfatin-1 is produced in the periphery and in the brain where it has been demonstrated to regulate appetite, stress hormone secretion, and cardiovascular function. The anorexigenic action of central nesfatin-1 requires recruitment of neurons producing the melanocortins and centrally projecting oxytocin (OT) and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons. We previously have shown that two components of this pathway, the central melanocortin and oxytocin systems, contribute to the hypertensive action of nesfatin-1 as well. We hypothesized that the cardiovascular effect of nesfatin-1 also was dependent on activation of neurons expressing CRH receptors, and that the order of activation of the melanocortin-CRH-oxytocin circuit was preserved for both the anorexigenic and hypertensive actions of the peptide. Pretreatment of male rats with the CRH-2 receptor antagonist astressin2B abrogated nesfatin-1-induced increases in mean arterial pressure (MAP). Furthermore, the hypertensive action of CRH was blocked by pretreatment with an oxytocin receptor antagonist ornithine vasotocin (OVT), indicating that the hypertensive effect of nesfatin-1 may require activation of oxytocinergic (OTergic) neurons in addition to recruitment of CRH neurons. Interestingly, we found that the hypertensive effect of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) itself was not blocked by either astressin2B or OVT. These data suggest that while α-MSH-producing neurons are part of a core melanocortin-CRH-oxytocin circuit regulating food intake, and a subpopulation of melanocortin neurons activated by nesfatin-1 do mediate the hypertensive action of the peptide, α-MSH can signal independently from this circuit to increase MAP.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2358
Author(s):  
Maria Grazia Giovannini ◽  
Daniele Lana ◽  
Chiara Traini ◽  
Maria Giuliana Vannucchi

The microbiota–gut system can be thought of as a single unit that interacts with the brain via the “two-way” microbiota–gut–brain axis. Through this axis, a constant interplay mediated by the several products originating from the microbiota guarantees the physiological development and shaping of the gut and the brain. In the present review will be described the modalities through which the microbiota and gut control each other, and the main microbiota products conditioning both local and brain homeostasis. Much evidence has accumulated over the past decade in favor of a significant association between dysbiosis, neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Presently, the pathogenetic mechanisms triggered by molecules produced by the altered microbiota, also responsible for the onset and evolution of Alzheimer disease, will be described. Our attention will be focused on the role of astrocytes and microglia. Numerous studies have progressively demonstrated how these glial cells are important to ensure an adequate environment for neuronal activity in healthy conditions. Furthermore, it is becoming evident how both cell types can mediate the onset of neuroinflammation and lead to neurodegeneration when subjected to pathological stimuli. Based on this information, the role of the major microbiota products in shifting the activation profiles of astrocytes and microglia from a healthy to a diseased state will be discussed, focusing on Alzheimer disease pathogenesis.


2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 193-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard J. Porter ◽  
Peter Gallagher

Background:New evidence is emerging regarding abnormalities of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function in subtypes of affective disorders. Adverse effects of HPA axis dysregulation may include dysfunction of monoaminergic transmitter systems, cognitive impairment and peripheral effects. Newer treatments specifically targeting the HPA axis are being developed.Objective:To review these developments focusing particularly on the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) antagonist mifepristone.Method:A selective review of the literature.Results:The function of GRs is increasingly being defined. The role of corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in the brain is also increasingly understood. HPA axis function is particularly likely to be abnormal in psychotic depression and bipolar disorder, and it is in these conditions that trials of the GR antagonist mifepristone are being focused. CRH antagonists and DHEA are also being investigated as potential treatments.Conclusion:Initial studies of mifepristone and other HPA-axis-targeting agents in psychotic depression and bipolar disorder are encouraging and confirmatory studies are awaited.


2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 587-604 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julien Gibon ◽  
Philip A. Barker

Neurotrophins have been intensively studied and have multiple roles in the brain. Neurotrophins are first synthetized as proneurotrophins and then cleaved intracellularly and extracellularly. Increasing evidences demonstrate that proneurotrophins and mature neurotrophins exerts opposing role in the central nervous system. In the present review, we explore the role of nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin 3 (NT3), and neurotrophin 4 (NT4) and their respective proform in cellular processes related to learning and memory. We focused on their roles in synaptic activity and plasticity in the brain with an emphasis on long-term potentiation, long-term depression, and basal synaptic transmission in the hippocampus and the temporal lobe area. We also discuss new findings on the role of the Val66Met polymorphism on the BDNF propeptide on synaptic activity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiangyue Zhou ◽  
Youwei Li ◽  
Cameron Lenahan ◽  
Yibo Ou ◽  
Minghuan Wang ◽  
...  

Stroke is the destruction of brain function and structure, and is caused by either cerebrovascular obstruction or rupture. It is a disease associated with high mortality and disability worldwide. Brain edema after stroke is an important factor affecting neurologic function recovery. The glymphatic system is a recently discovered cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) transport system. Through the perivascular space and aquaporin 4 (AQP4) on astrocytes, it promotes the exchange of CSF and interstitial fluid (ISF), clears brain metabolic waste, and maintains the stability of the internal environment within the brain. Excessive accumulation of fluid in the brain tissue causes cerebral edema, but the glymphatic system plays an important role in the process of both intake and removal of fluid within the brain. The changes in the glymphatic system after stroke may be an important contributor to brain edema. Understanding and targeting the molecular mechanisms and the role of the glymphatic system in the formation and regression of brain edema after stroke could promote the exclusion of fluids in the brain tissue and promote the recovery of neurological function in stroke patients. In this review, we will discuss the physiology of the glymphatic system, as well as the related mechanisms and therapeutic targets involved in the formation of brain edema after stroke, which could provide a new direction for research against brain edema after stroke.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Domênika Rubert Rossato ◽  
Higor Zuchetto Rosa ◽  
Jéssica Leandra Oliveira Rosa ◽  
Laura Hautrive Milanesi ◽  
Vinícia Garzella Metz ◽  
...  

Abstract Amphetamine (AMPH) is a psychostimulant drug frequently related to addiction, which is characterized by functional and molecular changes in the brain reward system, favoring relapse development and pharmacotherapies have shown low effectiveness. Considering the beneficial influences of tactile stimulation (TS) in different diseases that affect the central nervous system (CNS), here we evaluated if TS applied in adult rats could prevent or minimize the AMPH-relapse behavior also accessing molecular neuroadaptations in the Nucleus accumbens (NAc). Following AMPH conditioning in the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm, male rats were submitted to TS (15-min session, 3 times a day, for 8 days) during the drug abstinence period, which were re-exposed to the drug in the CPP paradigm for additional 3 days for relapse observation and molecular assessment. Our findings showed that besides AMPH relapse; TS prevented the dopamine transporter (DAT), dopamine 1 receptor (D1R), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), mu opioid receptor (MOR) increase and AMPH-induced delta FosB (ΔFosB). Based on these outcomes, we propose TS as a useful tool to treat psychostimulant addiction, which subsequent to clinical studies; it could be included in detoxification programs together with pharmacotherapies and psychological treatments already conventionally established.


Psychiatry ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 125-134
Author(s):  
E. F. Vasilyeva ◽  
O. S. Brusov

Background: at present, the important role of the monocyte-macrophage link of immunity in the pathogenesis of mental diseases has been determined. In the first and second parts of our review, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of activation of monocytes/macrophages, which secreting proinflammatory CD16 receptors, cytokines, chemokines and receptors to them, in the development of systemic immune inflammation in the pathogenesis of somatic diseases and mental disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder (BAD) and depression were analyzed. The association of high levels of proinflammatory activity of monocytes/macrophages in patients with mental disorders with somatic comorbidity, including immune system diseases, is shown. It is known that proinflammatory monocytes of peripheral blood, as a result of violation of the integrity of the hematoencephalic barrier can migrate to the central nervous system and activate the resident brain cells — microglia, causing its activation. Activation of microglia can lead to the development of neuroinammation and neurodegenerative processes in the brain and, as a result, to cognitive disorders. The aim of review: to analyze the results of the main scientific studies concerning the role of cellular and molecular mechanisms of peripheral blood monocytes interaction with microglial cells and platelets in the development of neuroinflammation in the pathogenesis of mental disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Material and methods: keywords “mental disorders, AD, proinflammatory monocytes, microglia, neuroinflammation, cytokines, chemokines, cell adhesion molecules, platelets, microvesicles” were used to search for articles of domestic and foreign authors published over the past 30 years in the databases PubMed, eLibrary, Science Direct and EMBASE. Conclusion: this review analyzes the results of studies which show that monocytes/macrophages and microglia have similar gene expression profiles in schizophrenia, BAD, depression, and AD and also perform similar functions: phagocytosis and inflammatory responses. Monocytes recruited to the central nervous system stimulate the increased production of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), chemokines, for example, MCP-1 (Monocyte chemotactic protein-1) by microglial cells. This promotes the recruitment of microglial cells to the sites of neuronal damage, and also enhances the formation of the brain protein beta-amyloid (Aβ). The results of modern studies are presented, indicating that platelets are involved in systemic inflammatory reactions, where they interact with monocytes to form monocyte-platelet aggregates (MTA), which induce the activation of monocytes with a pro inflammatory phenotype. In the last decade, it has been established that activated platelets and other cells of the immune system, including monocytes, detached microvesicles (MV) from the membrane. It has been shown that MV are involved as messengers in the transport of biologically active lipids, cytokines, complement, and other molecules that can cause exacerbation of systemic inflammatory reactions. The presented review allows us to expand our knowledge about the cellular and molecular aspects of the interaction of monocytes/macrophages with microglial cells and platelets in the development of neuroinflammation and cognitive decline in the pathogenesis of mental diseases and in AD, and also helps in the search for specific biomarkers of the clinical severity of mental disorder in patients and the prospects for their response to treatment.


1987 ◽  
Vol 252 (6) ◽  
pp. H1183-H1191
Author(s):  
C. Iadecola ◽  
P. M. Lacombe ◽  
M. D. Underwood ◽  
T. Ishitsuka ◽  
D. J. Reis

We studied whether adrenal medullary catecholamines (CAs) contribute to the metabolically linked increase in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) elicited by electrical stimulation of the dorsal medullary reticular formation (DMRF). Rats were anesthetized (alpha-chloralose, 30 mg/kg), paralyzed, and artificially ventilated. The DMRF was electrically stimulated with intermittent trains of pulses through microelectrodes stereotaxically implanted. Blood gases were controlled and, during stimulation, arterial pressure was maintained within the autoregulated range for rCBF. rCBF and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability were determined in homogenates of brain regions by using [14C]iodoantipyrine and alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB), respectively, as tracers. Plasma CAs (epinephrine and norepinephrine) were measured radioenzymatically. DMRF stimulation increased rCBF throughout the brain (n = 5; P less than 0.01, analysis of variance) and elevated plasma CAs substantially (n = 4). Acute bilateral adrenalectomy abolished the increase in plasma epinephrine (n = 4), reduced the increases in flow (n = 6) in cerebral cortex (P less than 0.05), and abolished them elsewhere in brain (P greater than 0.05). Comparable effects on rCBF were obtained by selective adrenal demedullation (n = 7) or pretreatment with propranolol (1.5 mg/kg iv) (n = 5). DMRF stimulation did not increase the permeability of the BBB to AIB (n = 5). We conclude that the increases in rCBF elicited from the DMRF has two components, one dependent on, and the other independent of CAs. Since the BBB is impermeable to CAs and DMRF stimulation fails to open the BBB, the results suggest that DMRF stimulation allows, through a mechanism not yet determined, circulating CAs to act on brain and affect brain function.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document