Glucocorticoid inhibition of stimulus-evoked adrenocorticotrophin release caused by suppression of intracellular calcium signals

in Journal of Endocrinology
Authors:
F. A. Antoni
Search for other papers by F. A. Antoni in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
J. Hoyland
Search for other papers by J. Hoyland in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
M. D. Woods
Search for other papers by M. D. Woods in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
, and
W. T. Mason
Search for other papers by W. T. Mason in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
Restricted access
Rent on DeepDyve

Sign up for journal news

ABSTRACT

Stress provokes a cohort of homeostatic reflexes by the central nervous, the immune as well as the metabolic control systems of the body. These powerful adaptive responses, which can cause a collapse of body homeostasis in the absence of feedback inhibition, are suppressed by adrenal glucocorticoid hormones. A prominent and physiologically significant early action of glucocorticoids that requires the induction of newly synthesized messenger RNA and protein is the suppression of ACTH release by anterior pituitary corticotroph cells. It is demonstrated here that glucocorticoids inhibit stimulated ACTH secretion in pituitary corticotroph tumour (AtT-20) cells by reducing stimulus-evoked intracellular free calcium transients. Thus, the data show for the first time that intracellular calcium signals may be modified by rapidly induced proteins. It is proposed that this is a general mechanism that underlies the early inhibitory effects of glucocorticoids during stress in various types of cell.

 

  • Collapse
  • Expand