SPECIFICITY OF CULTURED ANTERIOR-PITUITARY CELLS IN DETECTING CORTICOTROPIN RELEASING FACTORS - EFFECT OF BIOLOGICALLY-ACTIVE PEPTIDES AND NEUROTRANSMITTER SUBSTANCES ON ACTH RELEASE IN PITUITARY CELL-CULTURES

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 33  (2) , 81-90
Abstract
Biologically active peptides and neurotransmitter substances were added to [rat] anterior pituitary cell cultures to examine the presence of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF)-like activity. Hypothalamic extract (HE) induced significant dose-related increase of ACTH, and the lowest effective dose was 0.01 HE/ml. Other tested substances including luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone, thyrotropin releasing hormone, melanocyte stimulating hormone release inhibiting factor, somatostatin, substance P, neurotensin, .beta.-endorphin, Leu-enkephalin, Met-enkephalin, bradykinin, norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, acetylcholine, histamine, .gamma.-amino butyric acid or .gamma.-hydroxy butyric acid showed no CRF-like activity. Relatively high doses of Lysine vasopressin, Arg vasopressin and angiotensin II increased the release of ACTH in pituitary cell cultures, but the maximal ACTH response was markedly less than with HE. Cultured anterior pituitary cells are sensitive and fairly specific in detecting CRF(s) comparing with other detecting procedures.