Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Radioautographic study of the rat brain and pituitary after injection of 3H dexamethasone

  • Published:
Cell and Tissue Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The central nervous system and the pituitary of adrenalectomized male rats injected with 3H-dexamethasone were examined by radioautography. At 1 hr after the injection, radioactivity concentration was high in the medial basal hypothalamus, the pituitary and the pineal gland. In the hypothalamus, radioactive material was found to be selectively concentrated in neurons in the ventral part of nucleus arcuatus and in the infundibular region. In the anterior pituitary, a large proportion of cells showed silver grains both in the cytoplasm and over the cell nuclei. However, in a small number of cells, the radioactive material was associated with the cell nuclei. Less radioactivity was present in the intermediate and posterior lobes. The pineal gland contained more silver grains than did other regions of the brain. The results obtained in the present study suggest essentially an action of dexamethasone in the medial basal hypothalamus and at the level of the pituitary.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arimura, A., Bowers, C. Y., Schally, A. V., Saito, M., Miller, M. C.: Effect of corticotrophinreleasing factor, dexamethasone and actinomycin D on the release of ACTH from rat pituitaries in vivo and in vitro. Endocrinology 85, 300–311 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bohus, B., Endröczi, E.: Effect of intracerebral implantation of hydrocortisone on adreno-cortical secretion and adrenal weight after unilateral adrenalectomy. Acta physiol. Acad. Sci. hung. 25, 11–19 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  • Corbin, A., Mangili, G., Motta, M., Martini, L.: Effect of hypothalamic and mesencephalic steroid implantations on ACTH feedback mechanisms. Endocrinology 76, 811–818 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  • Davidson, J. M., Feldman, S.: Cerebral involvement in the inhibition of ACTH secretion by hydrocortisone. Endocrinology 72, 936–946 (1963)

    Google Scholar 

  • Davidson, J. M., Jones, L. E., Levine, S.: Feedback regulation of adrenocorticotropin secretion in “basal” and “stress” conditions: acute and chronic effects of intrahypothalamic corticoid implantation. Endocrinology 82, 655–663 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • De Kloet, E. R., Van der Vies, J., De Wied, D.: The site of the suppressive action of dexamethasone on pituitary-adrenal activity. Endocrinology 94, 61–73 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • De Wied, D.: The site of the blocking action of dexamethasone on stress-induced pituitary ACTH release. J. Endocrin. 29, 29–37 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  • Endröczi, E., Lissak, K., Tekeres, M.: Hormonal feedback regulation of pituitary-adrenocortical activity. Acta physiol. Acad. Sci. hung. 18, 291–299 (1961)

    Google Scholar 

  • Feldman, D., Funder, J. W., Edelman, I. S.: Evidence for a new class of corticosterone receptors in the rat kidney. Endocrinology 92, 1429–1441 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Fleischer, N., Rawls, W. E.: ACTH synthesis and release in pituitary monolayer culture; effect of dexamethasone. Amer. J. Physiol. 219, 445–448 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuxe, K., Hökfelt, T., Nilsson, O.: Castration, sex hormones and tubero-infundibular dopamine neurons. Neuroendocrinology 5, 107–120 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ganong, W. F., Hume, D.M.: Effect of hypothalamic lesions on steroid-induced atrophy of adrenal cortex in the dog. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. (N.Y.) 88, 528–533 (1955)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerlach, J. L., McEwen, B. S.: Rat brain binds adrenal steriod hormone: radioautography of hippocampus with corticosterone. Science 175, 1133–1136 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gosbee, J. L., Kraicer, J., Kastin, A. J., Schally, A. V.: Functional relationship between the pars intermedia and ACTH secretion in the rat. Endocrinology 86, 560–567 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Grimm, Y., Kendall, J. W.: A study of feedback suppression of ACTH secretion utilizing glucocorticoid implants in the hypothalamus: The comparative effects of cortisol, corticosterone and their 21-acetates. Neuroendocrinology 3, 55–63 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kinson, G. A., Singer, B., Grant, L.: Adrenocortical hormone secretion at various time intervals after pinealectomy in the rat. Gen. comp. Endocr. 10, 447–49 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kinson, G., Wahid, A. K., Singer, B.: Effect of chronic pinealectomy on adrenocortical hormone. Secretion rates in normal and hypertensive rats. Gen. comp. Endocr. 8, 445–454 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Koch, B., Bucher, B., Mialhe, C.: Pituitary nuclear retention of dexamethasone and ACTH biosynthesis. Neuroendocrinology 15, 365–375 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Leeman, S. E., Glenister, D. W., Yates, F. E.: Characterization of a calf hypothalamic extract with adrenocorticotropin releasing properties; evidence for a central nervous system site for corticosteroid inhibition of adrenocorticotropin release. Endocrinology 70, 249–262 (1962)

    Google Scholar 

  • McCann, S. M., Fruit, A., Fulford, B. D.: Studies on the loci of action of cortical hormones in inhibiting the release of adrenocorticotrophin. Endocrinology 63, 29–42 (1958)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mialhe, C., Lutz, B.: Libération des hormones antidiurétique et corticotrope au cours de différents types d'agressions. Dans: Neuroendocrinologie, ed. Benoit, J. and Kordon, C., Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, No. 927, 163–172 (1970)

  • Mialhe-Voloss, C.: Posthypophyse et activité corticotrope. Acta endocr. (Kbh.), Suppl. 35, 1–96 (1958)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rochefort, G. J., Rosenberger, J., Saffran, M.: Depletion of pituitary corticotrophin by various stresses and by neurohypophysial preparations. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 146, 105–116 (1959)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rose, S., Nelson, J.: Hydrocortisone and ACTH release. Austr. J. exp. Biol. Med. Sc. 34, 77–80 (1956)

    Google Scholar 

  • Russell, S. M., Dhariwal, A. P. S., McCann, S. M., Yates, F. E.: Inhibition by dexamethasone of the in vivo pituitary response to corticotropin releasing factor (CRF). Endocrinology 85, 512–521 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Schapiro, S., Marmorston, J., Sobel, H.: The steroid feedback mechanism. Amer. J. Physiol. 192, 58–62 (1958)

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott, A. P., Lowry, P. J., Ratcliffe, J. G., Rees, L. H., Landon, J.: Corticotrophin-like peptides in the rat pituitary. J. Endocr. 61, 355–367 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Smelik, P. G.: The regulation of ACTH secretion. Acta physiol. pharmacol. neer. 13, 370–371 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  • Smelik, P. G., Sawyer, C. H.: Effects of implantation of cortisol into the brain stem or pituitary gland on the adrenal response to stress in the rabbit. Acta endocr. (Kbh.) 41, 561–570 (1962)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stark, E., Makara, G. B., Marton, J., Palkovits, M.: ACTH release in rats after removal of the medial hypothalamus. Neuroendocrinology 13, 224–233 (1973/74)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stoeckel, M. E., Dellmann, H. D., Porte, A., Klein, M. J., Stutinsky, F.: Corticotrophic cells in the rostral zone of the pars intermedia and in the adjacent neurohypophysis of the rat and mouse. Z. Zellforsch. 136, 97–110 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stumpf, W. E.: Autoradiographic techniques and the localization of estrogen, androgen, and glucocorticoid in the pituitary and brain. Amer. Zoologist 11, 725–739 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stumpf, W. E., Sar, M.: Hormonal inputs to releasing factor cells, feedback sites. In: Progress in Brain Research, (eds.) Zimmermann, E., Gipsen, W. H., Marks, B. H., De Wied, D., vol. 39, p. 53–71. Amsterdam: Elsevier Scientific publishing company 1973

    Google Scholar 

  • Warembourg, M.: Fixation de l'oestradiol 3H au niveau des noyaux amygdaliens, septaux, et du système hypothalamo-hypophysaire chez la souris femelle. C. R. Acad. Sci. (Paris) 270, 152–154 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Warembourg, M.: Radioautographic study of the guinea pig uterus after injection and incubation with 3H-progesterone. Endocrinology 94, 665–670 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Warembourg, M.: Etude radioautographique des rétroactions centrales des corticostéroides 3H chez le rat et le cobaye. Dans: Neuroendocrinologie de l'axe corticotrope, eds. P. Dell, vol. 22, p. 41–65. Paris: Editions INSERM 1973

    Google Scholar 

  • Warembourg, M.: Radioautographic study of the rat brain after injection of 1–2 3H-corticosterone. Brain Res. 89, 61–70 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Yetes, F. E., Russel, S. M., Dallman, M. F., Hedge, G. A., McCann, S. M., Dhariwal, A. P. S.: Potentiation by vasopressin of corticotropin release induced by corticotropin-releasing factor. Endocrinology 88, 3–15 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Histology of the Faculty of Medicine, Lille, France

    M. Warembourg

Authors
  1. M. Warembourg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This study was supported by grants from the INSERM and DGRST n∘ 74-7-0518.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Warembourg, M. Radioautographic study of the rat brain and pituitary after injection of 3H dexamethasone. Cell Tissue Res. 161, 183–191 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00220367

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00220367

Key words

Search

Navigation