The role of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate in dopaminergic inhibition of prolactin release in anterior pituitary cells

The relationship between cAMP stimulation and dopaminergic inhibition of PRL release was studied in primary cultures of rat anterior pituitary cells. Bromocriptine, a dopaminergic agonist, and cholera enterotoxin, isobutylmethylxanthine, theophylline, and 8-bromo-cAMP, agents which mimic cAMP action or cause increases in cAMP, were used. Short term PRL release (that which occurs within 1 or 2 h) was stimulated 1.5- to 2-fold by all of the cAMP agents. Bromocriptine (5 nM) decreased basal release and completely abolished any short term stimulation above basal caused by cholera enterotoxin and 8-bromo-cAMP. Isobutylmethylxanthine and theophylline did cause some stimulation of PRL release above basal, but the magnitude of the increase was half that in the absence of bromocriptine. The short term release stimulated by 8-bromo-cAMP was dependent on extracellular calcium. PRL accumulation in the medium for 1-3 days was increased by all of the cAMP agents. A long term increase caused by these agents was also observed in the presence of bromocriptine. The magnitude of the increase in release above basal was the same with and without bromocriptine, but the total PRL in the medium was always less in the presence of bromocriptine, since basal release was reduced. These results show that the short term inhibition of PRL release by bromocriptine cannot be completely reversed by agents which increase cAMP.     

Dopamine inhibits prolactin release when cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate levels are elevated

We purified lactotrophs from pituitary tumors induced by estrogen in ovariectomized female Fischer 344 rats from 80% of the population before to more than 90% after purification through a continuous Percoll density gradient. The percentage of lactotrophs was evaluated by immunofluorescence. The patterns of PRL release stimulated by 100 nM TRH, 20 microM A23187 (a Ca++ ionophore), 50 nM 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (a C-kinase activator), or combinations of these agents, or inhibited by 10 microM dopamine were similar in perifused primary cultures of tumor lactotrophs to patterns in cultures of anterior pituitary cells from female retired breeders used previously. In particular, dopamine completely inhibited the release stimulated by forskolin. Intracellular cAMP concentrations and PRL accumulation in the medium were measured in monolayer cultures of purified tumor lactotrophs. In 9 separate experiments, forskolin (10 microM) increased intracellular cAMP concentrations more than 60-fold above control after 30 min of incubation. Preincubation (30 min) with dopamine (10 microM) reduced the cAMP accumulation caused by forskolin, but levels were still at least 20-fold above basal levels in most experiments. PRL release was stimulated 2-fold with forskolin alone, but there was no stimulation of PRL release by forskolin in the presence of dopamine even though cAMP levels were elevated above basal. Therefore, a decrease in cAMP levels is not necessary to inhibit PRL release, and dopamine must have a mechanism for inhibiting PRL release in addition to inhibiting adenylate cyclase.     

Pertussis toxin blocks the somatostatin-induced inhibition of growth hormone release and adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate accumulation

A protein toxin synthesized by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis has the unique property of blocking a number of receptor-mediated inhibitory systems which are linked to adenylate cyclase. We found that pertussis toxin (PT) eliminates the ability of somatostatin to reduce both basal and GH-releasing factor-stimulated GH release in primary cultures of rat pituitary cells. Furthermore, the ability of somatostatin to reduce GH-releasing factor-induced cAMP accumulation in the cells is significantly attenuated after PT treatment. The PT effect, which is dose dependent and prevented by pretreatment with anti-PT antibodies, represents an alteration in somatostatin efficacy rather than potency. The modification of somatostatin responsiveness persists for at least 5 days after toxin removal. The PT actions on the somatotroph are similar to the effects on other eukaryotic cell types. The combination of available data indicates that the toxin acts on a highly conserved component(s) that is obligatory for transducing the inhibitory hormone message into the cell.     

Effects of ouabain on insulin release, adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate and guanine 3',5'-monophosphate in pancreatic islets.

Isolated pancreatic islets of noninbred ob/ob mice were used to test the hypothesis that adenylate cyclase responds to changes of the transmembrane milieu or electric field in intact beta-cells. In the presence of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, ouabainstimulated both the release of insulin and the islet content of cAMP. Ouabain had no noticeable effect on the islet content of cGMP. These results support the hypothesis at test. However, because ouabain also had some stimulatory effect on cAMP in islet homogenates, a direct action of ouabain on adenylate cyclase cannot be ruled out.     

Effects of somatostatin and urotensin II on tilapia pituitary prolactin release and interactions between somatostatin, osmotic pressure Ca++, and adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate in prolactin release in vitro

Both somatostatin (SRIF) and urotensin II, a dodecapeptide from the teleost caudal neurosecretory system, inhibit PRL release from the organ-cultured rostral pars distalis of the tilapia, Sarotherodon mossambicus, in a dose-related manner. The inhibitory action of SRIF on PRL release was completely prevented by the presence of the calcium ionophore A23187. PRL release was also blocked when Ca++ was excluded from the incubation medium, even in the presence of the ionophore. Both dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP) and the phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, alone or in combination, stimulated PRL release during incubation in high osmotic pressure medium. The effect of dbcAMP appeared to be dose related. Together, dbcAMP and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine were also effective in preventing the inhibition of PRL release by SRIF. These results are consistent with the notion that Ca++, and possibly cAMP, may be important mediators of PRL secretion, and it is likely that SRIF may inhibit PRL release by blocking a Ca++- or cAMP-mediated mechanism.     

The roles of Ca2+ and adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate in the regulation of progesterone production by human placental tissue

The effects of Ca2+ and cAMP on progesterone production by placental tissue were studied. Term placentas obtained from normal pregnant women were perfused with sterile saline to remove blood, and the minced trophoblastic tissue was incubated in vitro. The rate of progesterone secretion by the trophoblastic tissue was 47.5 +/- 5.0 (+/- SE) ng/mg cell protein X h (control) at 450 micrograms low density lipoprotein/mL. The rates of progesterone production and cAMP accumulation were accelerated 3.0- and 1.7-fold, respectively, by 10(-5) M terbutaline, and the terbutaline effect was blocked by the addition of 50 microM N-(6-aminohexyl)5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide (W-7) or 50 microM trifluoperazine. Whereas progesterone secretion by placental explants cultured in medium containing low density lipoprotein with 1 microM A23187 (calcium ionophore) reached a rate of 128.5 +/- 8.5 ng/mg cell protein X h, incubation of placental explants with A23187 caused a highly significant, dose-related decrease in terbutaline-stimulated cAMP accumulation in the presence of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor. Inhibition by A23187 was Ca2+ dependent, since incubation in a Ca2+-free medium with EGTA blocked its effect. Intracellular Ca2+ is apparently necessary for placental progesterone production; enhancement of progesterone production by beta2-stimulation is mediated by intracellular Ca2+ and cAMP.     

alpha-Adrenergic inhibition of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate accumulation and parathyroid hormone release from dispersed bovine parathyroid cells.

The possibility of alpha-adrenergic modulation of cAMP accumulation and parathyroid hormone (PTH) release was investigated in dispersed bovine parathyroid cells. cAMP accumulation due to the mixed alpha- and beta-adrenergic agonists, (-)epinephrine and (-)norepinephrine, was significantly enhanced by the alpha-adrenergic inhibitor phentolamine; that due to the "pure" beta-adrenergic agonist, (-)isoproterenol, was not altered significantly. Direct inhibition of agonist-stimulated cAMP accumulation was effected by adding increasing concentrations of (-)epinephrine to concentrations of (-)isoproterenol maximally stimulating cAMP accumulation. A 50-75% inhibition of cAMP was observed which was specifically blocked by phentolamine. This inhibition was not specific for beta-adrenergic stimulation, as (-)epinephrine also inhibited dopamine-stimulated cAMP accumulation. The inhibition of (-)isoproterenol-stimulated cAMP accumulation by (-)epinephrine was unaffected by ambient calcium concentration. Stimulation of PTH release by (-)epinephrine and (-)norepinephrine was potentiated by phentolamine and inhibited by the beta-adrenergic blocker, (-)propranolol, demonstrating alpha-adrenergic modulation of hormone release and confirming the close relationship between cAMP accumulation and PTH release previously shown in this system. These results demonstrate the presence of an alpha-adrenergic receptor in dispersed bovine parathyroid cells which inhibits agonist-stimulated cAMP accumulation and PTH release by a mechanism independent of extracellular calcium.     

Measurement of plasma adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate.

Currently used methods for plasma cAMP measurements are either tedious (chromatographic preparation of sample) or potentially inaccurate (direct assay of plasma samples). A rapid, simple, and accurate competitive binding assay for plasma cAMP, which does not require chromatographic preparation of the sample, has been developed. This procedure prevents destruction of plasma cAMP by utilizing both theophylline and EDTA in the collection of the blood sample. Human plasma contains variable amounts of cAMP-binding activity which interfere with the measurement of cAMP by the standard competitive binding assay. Our assay procedure removes this binding activity by precipitation of plasma proteins with perchloric acid. The normal fasting value (+/- SD) of plasma cAMP using this technique is 17.6 +/- 4.3 pmol/ml, which is identical to values obtained by methods utilizing chromatographic purification of samples (18.3 +/- 3.0). The fasting plasma cAMP of patients with hyperparathyroidism is normal (16.2 +/- 3.4), but patients with maturity-onset diabetes mellitus have fasting values significantly below normal (12.3 +/- 2.4).     

Stimulation of prostaglandin accumulation in preovulatory rat follicles by adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate.

LH stimulates an increase in prostaglandins in vitro in preovulatory follicles from rats pretreated with PMS gonadotropin. The role of cAMP in this action of LH was examined by incubating preovulatory follicles with various substances and determining the resultant prostaglandin (PG) E accumulation by radioimmunoassay. LH (5 microgram/ml) increased PGE accumulation to approximately 4 times the control (181 +/- 23 to 886 +/- 83 pg/follicle). The addition of 20 mM cAMP also stimulated PGE accumulation, and the addition of 20 mM cAMP in the presence of 0.5 mM 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine was as effective as LH. Other nucleotides such as ATP, ADP, 3'-AMP, 5'-AMP, cGMP, and O2'-monobutyryl-cAMP did not stimulate PGE accumulation. On the other hand, (Bu)2cAMP, 8-bromo-cAMP, and N6-monobutyryl-cAMP produced an increase in PGE accumulation similar to that observed with LH. In addition, 10 microgram/ml cholera toxin was shown to increase both cAMP and PGE accumulation in preovulatory follicles. These results indicate that the prostaglandin response of follicles is specific for cAMP-like nucleotides or substances capable of increasing intracellular cAMP. The data support the concept that cAMP mediates the effect of LH on PGE accumulation in preovulatory follicles in the rat.     

Effects of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate, dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate, aminophylline, and imidazole on renal cellular calcium metabolism.

The effects of cAMP, dibutyryl cAMP (DBcAMP), aminophylline, and imidazole on total cell calcium, calcium transport, and distribution were studied in cultured kidney cells by kinetic analysis of 45Ca uptake and desaturation curves. Low concentrations of the cyclic nucleotides (10(-7) and 10(-5) M) increase the total cell calcium, all intracellular exchangeable pools, and calcium transport between all cellular compartments. Aminophylline (1 mM) has effects qualitatively similar to cAMP and DBcAMP, while imidazole has opposite effects. At concentrations of 15 and 40 mM, imidazole depresses the total cell calcium and the cellular exchangeable calcium. Compared to the effects of parathyroid hormone (PTH), the changes obtained with 10(-7) and 10(-5) M cAMP are relatively modest, but higher concentrations (10(-3) M) of both cAMP and DBcAMP produce stimulations as marked as with 15 ng/ml PTH. The most dramatic changes are seen in the mitochondrial calcium pool and in the mitochondrial calcium exchange, which increase between 20- and 40-fold. These experiments show that cAMP mimics the effect of PTH on kidney cells and support the theory that cAMP is the mediator of PTH action on renal cell calcium transport.     

Role of Ca2+ on vasoactive intestinal peptide-induced glucose and adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate production in the isolated perfused rat liver.

Livers from fed rats (180-240 g) were perfused noncyclically with a hemoglobin-free medium in vitro to determine whether vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) increases hepatic glucose production through a cAMP- or a Ca(2+)-dependent mechanism. Glucose output did not increase, but cAMP increased maximally during 10(-9) M VIP infusion. When VIP was perfused at 10(-8) M or more, glucose output increased dose dependently, whereas cAMP increased only a little during the VIP infusion, but increased greatly after the infusion. When Ca2+ was excluded from the perfusate, glucose output produced by 10(-8)-10(-7) M VIP was only 40% of that observed in the Ca(2+)-containing perfusion, and the increase in cAMP was abolished almost completely. By adding 10(-7) M A23187 for 10 min during the infusion of 10(-9) M VIP, cAMP, which increased with VIP alone, decreased during the A23187 infusion and increased again after the cessation of the A23187 infusion, whereas glucose output increased during the A23187 infusion. These results were similar to those observed with higher concentrations of VIP. When 10(-4) M isobutylmethylxanthine and 10(-8) M VIP were infused concurrently, cAMP increased rapidly during the infusion and decreased after the infusion. In conclusion, 1) glycogenolysis is produced by VIP through a Ca(2+)-dependent mechanism, rather than a cAMP-dependent one; and 2) the restriction of cAMP accumulation during the infusion of high concentrations of VIP is caused by Ca(2+)-induced phosphodiesterase activation.     

Inhibition of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate accumulation and parathyroid hormone release by sodium nitroprusside.

Sodium nitroprusside effected a significant reduction in intracellular cAMP accumulation and parathyroid hormone release in dispersed bovine parathyroid cells. The inhibition was apparent at 3 x 10-4 M and maximal at 10-2 M nitroprusside. The effect was rapid and reversible and could be demonstrated in both the presence and absence of stimulating agonists [i.e. (-)isoproterenol, dopamine, and cholera toxin]. The inhibition was additive with that previously described for alpha-adrenergic agonists and prostaglandin F2 alpha and was not affected by phentolamine, suggesting that nitroprusside does not act through the inhibitory receptors previously described in this system. The nitroprusside effect on cAMP accumulation and parathyroid hormone release was present at virtually all concentrations of extracellular calcium tested; 2mM EGTA failed to prevent the inhibition. While extracellular calcium may play some role in this inhibition, it is not required for demonstration of the effect.