| Abstract: | Release of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) from frontal slices of rat hypothalamus superfused with oxygenated artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF) was quantified by radioimmunoassay. Control depolarisations with 50 mM KCl-containing ACSFm produced significant increases in α-MSH release which were partially blocked by 10−6 M cinnaserin, a serotonin (5-HT) receptor antagonist. Superfusion of the tissues with varying concentrations of 5-HT *10−7 M to 10−4 M) resulted in an inverted U-shaped dose-response curve, maximum α-MSH release being obtained with 10−6 M 5-HT. Addition of 10−6 M cinanserin shifted the 5-HT dose-response curve to the right whilst the presence of 10−8 M flupenthixol, a dopamine receptor antagonist, resulted in a sigmoidal 5-HT dose-response curve. Superfusion with ACSF containing either 10−7 M fluoxetine, a 5-HT re-uptake inhibitor, or 10−7 M p-chloroamphetamine, an agent releasing 5-HT, induced significant increases in α-MSH release which were abolished in the presence of 10−6 M cinanserin. These data demonstrate the presence of an endogenous 5-HT system that exerts a biphasic effect on α-MSH release. A stimulatory effect caused by lower 5-HT concentrations appears to be a direct action whilst an inhibitory effect at higher concentrations is mediated through an inhibitory endogenous dopaminergic system. A significant proportion of K+-stimulated peptide release is 5-HT-mediated. |
