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Mouse vas deferens protein (MVDP) is a member of the aldo-keto reductase superfamily. The regulation of MVDP gene expression by activators of the protein kinase A signalling pathway was investigated in human (H295-R) and murine (Y1) adrenocortical carcinoma cells. Immunoblotting with polyclonal antibodies showed that MVDP is expressed in adrenal glands from mouse, rat, rabbit and guinea-pig, probably under the control of ACTH. In both adrenocortical cell lines used, MVDP is constitutively synthesized and its accumulation is increased by treatment with cAMP or forskolin. MVDP mRNA steady-state levels were up-regulated by forskolin in adrenocortical cells by a process that does not require de novo protein synthesis. The results suggest that cAMP is at least one of the key regulators of adrenal MVDP expression and that this effect is direct.

Adrenomedullin (AM) is a ubiquitous peptide hormone which, among other functional roles, reduces insulin secretion in the pancreas. Recently we have described the interaction between AM and the complement regulator protein factor H, which results in mutual modulation of their respective functions. Here we identify the expression of factor H in the beta cells of the rat pancreatic islets by immunohistochemistry and multiple immunofluorescence followed by confocal microscopy. In addition, double immunogold staining under the electron microscope showed coexistence of insulin and factor H immunoreactivities within the same secretory granules; interestingly, factor H staining was found in the electron-lucent haloes whereas the insulin antibody labeled preferentially the dense cores. The existence of factor H mRNA in the pancreas was confirmed by RT-PCR and in situ hybridization. The function of factor H in the pancreas was investigated with an insulin secretion assay. Addition of factor H to freshly isolated islets in the presence of AM resulted in a further reduction in insulin secretion with a concomitant elevation of cAMP, suggesting that factor H increases AM function in glucose homeostasis. The expression of factor H in the pancreas may play other important roles such as protection against complement-mediated cell lysis.

This study was designed to investigate the synthesis and action of adrenomedullin in the rat adrenal gland. The results obtained from in situ hybridization and immunocytochemical studies suggest that adrenomedullin is synthesized not only in the medulla, but also within the zona glomerulosa of the rat adrenal cortex. Findings from in situ hybridization and binding studies also suggested that specific adrenomedullin receptors are expressed in the zona glomerulosa, and that low levels are present in the inner zones of the cortex. The Kd of the zona glomerulosa adrenomedullin receptor (5.5 nmol/l) suggests that it may respond to locally produced adrenomedullin rather than circulating concentrations of the peptide, which are in a lower range. It was found that adrenomedullin acted on zona glomerulosa cells in vitro to stimulate aldosterone release and cAMP formation, but in this tissue did not stimulate inositol phosphate turnover. The effect of adrenomedullin on aldosterone secretion was significantly attenuated by a protein kinase A inhibitor, suggesting that cAMP mediates the effects of adrenomedullin on aldosterone secretion. Adrenomedullin did not significantly affect the response of zona glomerulosa cells to stimulation by either ACTH or angiotensin II. Adrenomedullin did not affect the release of catecholamines, either adrenaline or noradrenaline, by intact adrenal capsular tissue. These data suggest that both adrenomedullin and its specific receptor are expressed in the rat adrenal zona glomerulosa, leading to the hypothesis that adrenomedullin may have an autocrine/paracrine role in the regulation of the rat adrenal zona glomerulosa.

The mechanism for the development of insulin resistance in normal pregnancy is complex and is associated with serum levels of both progesterone and 17beta-estradiol. However, it remains unclear whether estrogens alone or progestins alone can cause insulin resistance, or whether it is a combination of both which produces this effect. We attempted to determine the role played by progesterone and/or 17beta-estradiol on the phenomena of sensitivity to insulin action that take place during pregnancy in the rat. Ovariectomized rats were treated with different doses of progesterone and/or 17beta-estradiol in order to simulate the plasma levels in normal pregnant rats. A euglycemic/hyperinsulinemic clamp was used to measure insulin sensitivity. At days 6 and 11, vehicle (V)- and progesterone (P)-treated groups were more insulin resistant than 17beta-estradiol (E)- and 17beta-estradiol+progesterone (EP)-treated groups. Nevertheless, at day 16, the V, EP and E groups were more resistant to insulin action than the P group. On the other hand, the V, EP and E groups were more insulin resistant at day 16 than at day 6, whereas the P group was more insulin resistant at day 6 than at day 16. Our results seem to suggest that the absence of female steroid hormones gives rise to a decreased insulin sensitivity. The rise in insulin sensitivity during early pregnancy, when the plasma concentrations of 17beta-estradiol and progesterone are low, could be due to 17beta-estradiol. However, during late pregnancy when the plasma concentrations of 17beta-estradiol and progesterone are high, the role of 17beta-estradiol could be to antagonize the effect of progesterone, diminishing insulin sensitivity.

Maternal diabetes impairs fetal lung development. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are ligand-activated transcription factors relevant in lipid homeostasis and lung development. This study aims to evaluate the effect of in vivo activation of PPARs on lipid homeostasis in fetal lungs of diabetic rats. To this end, we studied lipid concentrations, expression of lipid metabolizing enzymes and fatty acid composition in fetal lungs of control and diabetic rats i) after injections of the fetuses with Leukotriene B₄ (LTB₄, PPARα ligand) or 15deoxyΔ^12,14prostaglandin J₂ (15dPGJ₂, PPARγ ligand) and ii) fed during pregnancy with 6% olive oil- or 6% safflower oil-supplemented diets, enriched with PPAR ligands were studied. Maternal diabetes increased triglyceride concentrations and decreased expression of lipid-oxidizing enzymes in fetal lungs of diabetic rats, an expression further decreased by LTB₄ and partially restored by 15dPGJ₂ in lungs of male fetuses in the diabetic group. In lungs of female fetuses in the diabetic group, maternal diets enriched with olive oil increased triglyceride concentrations and fatty acid synthase expression, while those enriched with safflower oil increased triglyceride concentrations and fatty acid transporter expression. Both olive oil- and safflower oil-supplemented diets decreased cholesterol and cholesteryl ester concentrations and increased the expression of the reverse cholesterol transporter ATP-binding cassette A1 in fetal lungs of female fetuses of diabetic rats. In fetal lungs of control and diabetic rats, the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids increased with the maternal diets enriched with olive and safflower oils. Our results revealed important changes in lipid metabolism in fetal lungs of diabetic rats, and in the ability of PPAR ligands to modulate the composition of lipid species relevant in the lung during the perinatal period.

Adrenomedullin (AM) immunoreactivity has been found in granules of the glomus (type I) cells of the carotid bodies in rats. The identity of these cells was ascertained by colocalization of immunoreactivities for AM and tyrosine hydroxylase in their cytoplasm. Exposure of freshly isolated carotid bodies to synthetic AM resulted in a concentration- and time-dependent degranulation of glomus cells as measured by dopamine (DA) release. DA release reached a zenith 30 min after exposure to AM (94.2% over untreated controls). At this time-point, the response to AM was similar to the one elicited by 5 min of exposure to 100 mM K+. Nevertheless, injection of 1 micro l 60 nM AM/g body weight into the tail vein of the rats did not induce statistical differences in DA release from the carotid bodies. Exposure of the oxygen-sensitive cell line PC-12 to hypoxia elicited an increase in AM mRNA expression and peptide secretion into serum-free conditioned medium. Previous data have shown that elevation of AM expression under hypoxia is mediated through hypoxia-inducible factor-1, and that exposure of chromaffin cells to AM results in degranulation. All these data suggest that AM is an important autocrine regulator of carotid body function.