Ethanol-stimulated endorphin and corticotropin secretion in vitro

L. Donald Keith, John C. Crabbe, Linda M. Robertson, John W. Kendall

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

55 Scopus citations

Abstract

Although acute administration of ethanol in vivo results in increased plasma glucocorticoid concentration, it is unclear whether this effect is mediated by corticotropin (ACTH) from the anterior pituitary. Secretion of beta-endorphin-like (BE-IR) and corticotropin-like (ACTH-IR) immunoreactivity from perifused, dispersed mouse adenohypophyseal cells was used to evaluate the effect of 17 mM ethanol on secretion of pituitary peptides. Cells were also exposed to 10 nM synthetic corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), 1 μM vasopressin, 54 mM KCl, 100 nM corticosterone, and calcium-free medium, separately and in combination. Secretion of BE-IR and ACTH-IR were markedly sensitive to low concentrations of ethanol. Exposure to 17 mM ethanol produced 3-fold stimulation of the rate of hormone release. This represented one-third to two-thirds that of the rate of maximum stimulation by CRF. Unlike CRF-stimulated secretion, ethanol-stimulated secretion was transient. Further, a second ethanol exposure 1 h after the first did not stimulate peptide secretion. Similar to CRF-stimulation, ethanol-stimulated peptide secretion required extracellular calcium and was inhibited by the glucocorticoid corticosterone. We suggest that this system is a useful model for investigation of the actions of low concentrations of ethanol at the cellular level.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)222-229
Number of pages8
JournalBrain research
Volume367
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 5 1986

Keywords

  • beta-endorphin
  • calcium
  • corticosterone
  • corticotropin (ACTH)
  • corticotropin-releasing factor
  • ethanol
  • pituitary
  • vasopressin

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Developmental Biology

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