Effects of deltamethrin on catecholamine secretion of bovine chromaffin cells

The effects of the pyrethroid deltamethrin (D) on catecholamine secretion of cultured bovine chromaffin cells were investigated in vitro using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Spontaneous release of catecholamines was increased by 10 μM and 100 μM D. This increase could partially be prevented by the simultaneous use of 2 μM tetrodotoxin (TTX), which reduced the increase by 10 μM D of catecholamine secretion by 90% and that of 100 μM D by 50%. TTX 2 μM alone did not alter the spontaneous release in comparison to controls. Medullary chromaffin cells consist of two cell groups, one secreting mainly epinephrine (E), the other norepinephrine (NE). The ratio between the spontaneously secreted catecholamines E and NE was increased after treatment with D, indicating a dominant effect on E secreting cells. Received: 7 March 1994/ Accepted: 26 April 1994