Skip to main content
PMC home page
The Journal of Physiology logoLink to The Journal of Physiology
. 1987 Oct;391:441–450. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1987.sp016748

Adrenal cortical responses to vasoactive intestinal peptide in conscious hypophysectomized calves.

S R Bloom 1, A V Edwards 1, C T Jones 1
PMCID: PMC1192224  PMID: 2832592

Abstract

1. Right adrenal and various cardiovascular responses to an intra-aortic infusion of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP; 4 micrograms min-1 kg-1) have been investigated in the presence and absence of exogenous adrenocorticotrophin, (ACTH1-24; 5 ng min-1 kg-1, i.v.). The adrenal clamp technique was employed in conscious calves in which the pituitary stalk had been cauterized 3-4 days previously. 2. The i.v. infusion of ACTH1-24 increased mean plasma ACTH concentration by between 1000 and 1100 pg ml-1 and mean right cortisol output by about 700 ng min-1 kg-1. Under these conditions the intra-aortic infusion of VIP produced a further rise in mean adrenal cortisol output, together with a consequential rise in mean arterial plasma cortisol concentration, without affecting the concentration of ACTH in the arterial plasma significantly. In the absence of ACTH the same infusion of VIP had no detectable effect on adrenal cortisol output. 3. In each of the above respects this intra-aortic infusion of VIP closely mimicked the effect of stimulation of the peripheral end of the right splanchnic nerve in these animals, as it also did by causing a substantial fall in adrenal vascular resistance in the absence, but not in the presence, of ACTH. 4. It is concluded that release of this peptide from splanchnic nerve terminals in the adrenal gland most probably accounts, at least in part, for the powerful adrenocortical steroidogenic response to splanchnic nerve stimulation, that occurs in the presence of submaximal doses of ACTH.

Full text

PDF
441

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Ahmed C. E., Dees W. L., Ojeda S. R. The immature rat ovary is innervated by vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-containing fibers and responds to VIP with steroid secretion. Endocrinology. 1986 Apr;118(4):1682–1689. doi: 10.1210/endo-118-4-1682. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bloom S. R., Edwards A. V. Vasoactive intestinal peptide in relation to atropine resistant vasodilatation in the submaxillary gland of the cat. J Physiol. 1980 Mar;300:41–53. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1980.sp013150. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Cheitlin R., Buckley D. I., Ramachandran J. The role of extracellular calcium in corticotropin-stimulated steroidogenesis. J Biol Chem. 1985 May 10;260(9):5323–5327. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Davoren J. B., Hsueh A. J. Vasoactive intestinal peptide: a novel stimulator of steroidogenesis by cultured rat granulosa cells. Biol Reprod. 1985 Aug;33(1):37–52. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod33.1.37. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Edwards A. V., Furness P. N., Helle K. B. Adrenal medullary responses to stimulation of the splanchnic nerve in the conscious calf. J Physiol. 1980 Nov;308:15–27. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1980.sp013458. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Edwards A. V., Hansell D., Jones C. T. Effects of synthetic adrenocorticotrophin on adrenal medullary responses to splanchnic nerve stimulation in conscious calves. J Physiol. 1986 Oct;379:1–16. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1986.sp016237. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Edwards A. V., Hardy R. N., Malinowska K. W. The effects of infusions of synthetic adrenocorticotrophin in the conscious calf. J Physiol. 1974 Jun;239(3):477–498. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1974.sp010579. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Edwards A. V., Jones C. T., Bloom S. R. Reduced adrenal cortical sensitivity to ACTH in lambs with cut splanchnic nerves. J Endocrinol. 1986 Jul;110(1):81–85. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.1100081. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Edwards A. V., Jones C. T. The effect of splanchnic nerve stimulation on adrenocortical activity in conscious calves. J Physiol. 1987 Jan;382:385–396. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1987.sp016373. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Fredericks C. M., Lundquist L. E., Mathur R. S., Ashton S. H., Landgrebe S. C. Effects of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide upon ovarian steroids, ovum transport and fertility in the rabbit. Biol Reprod. 1983 Jun;28(5):1052–1060. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod28.5.1052. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Holzwarth M. A. The distribution of vasoactive intestinal peptide in the rat adrenal cortex and medulla. J Auton Nerv Syst. 1984 Nov;11(3):269–283. doi: 10.1016/0165-1838(84)90041-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hökfelt T., Lundberg J. M., Schultzberg M., Fahrenkrug J. Immunohistochemical evidence for a local VIP-ergic neuron system in the adrenal gland of the rat. Acta Physiol Scand. 1981 Dec;113(4):575–576. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.1981.tb06944.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Jones C. T., Boddy K., Robinson J. S., Ratcliffe J. G. Developmental changes in the responses of the adrenal glands of foetal sheep to endogenous adrenocorticotrophin, as indicated by hormone responses to hypoxaemia. J Endocrinol. 1977 Mar;72(3):279–292. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.0720279. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Kowal J., Horst I., Pensky J., Alfonzo M. A comparison of the effects of ACTH, vasoactive intestinal peptide, and cholera toxin on adrenal cAMP and steroid synthesis. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1977 Oct 28;297:314–328. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1977.tb41863.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Leboulenger F., Leroux P., Delarue C., Tonon M. C., Charnay Y., Dubois P. M., Coy D. H., Vaudry H. Co-localization of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and enkephalins in chromaffin cells of the adrenal gland of amphibia. Stimulation of corticosteroid production by VIP. Life Sci. 1983 Jan 24;32(4):375–383. doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(83)90083-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Mitchell S. J., Bloom S. R. Measurement of fasting and postprandial plasma VIP in man. Gut. 1978 Nov;19(11):1043–1048. doi: 10.1136/gut.19.11.1043. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Morera A. M., Cathiard A. M., Laburthe M., Saez J. M. Interaction of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) with a mouse adrenal cell line (Y-1): specific binding and biological effects. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1979 Sep 12;90(1):78–85. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(79)91592-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Sala G. B., Hayashi K., Catt K. J., Dufau M. L. Adrenocorticotropin action in isolated adrenal cells. The intermediate role of cyclic AMP in stimulation of corticosterone synthesis. J Biol Chem. 1979 May 25;254(10):3861–3865. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Sayers G., Beall R. J., Seelig S. Isolated adrenal cells: adrenocorticotropic hormone, calcium, steroidogenesis, and cyclic adenosine monophosphate. Science. 1972 Mar 10;175(4026):1131–1133. doi: 10.1126/science.175.4026.1131. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Trzeciak W. H., Ahmed C. E., Simpson E. R., Ojeda S. R. Vasoactive intestinal peptide induces the synthesis of the cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme complex in cultured rat ovarian granulosa cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1986 Oct;83(19):7490–7494. doi: 10.1073/pnas.83.19.7490. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Urquhart J. Adrenal blood flow and the adrenocortical response to corticotropin. Am J Physiol. 1965 Dec;209(6):1162–1168. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1965.209.6.1162. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Wood C. E., Shinsako J., Dallman M. F. Comparison of canine corticosteroid responses to mean and phasic increases in ACTH. Am J Physiol. 1982 Feb;242(2):E102–E108. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.1982.242.2.E102. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Physiology are provided here courtesy of The Physiological Society

RESOURCES