Pituitary corticotrope tumor (AtT20) cells as a model system for the study of early inhibition by glucocorticoids.

The utility of the established ACTH secreting mouse pituitary tumor cell line AtT20 for investigating early glucocorticoid inhibition was examined. Three different strains of the cell line D1, D16v, and D16:16, respectively, were analyzed. In initial studies CRF and phorbol esters were used as secretagogues to examine the properties of hormone secretion. In a perifusion system (cells in suspension) D1 cells failed to respond to the secretagogues, whereas both D16v and D16:16 cells were responsive. However, hormone release declined upon repeated exposure to secretagogue in both D16v and D16:16 cells and similar data were obtained when cells adhering to cover slips were perifused. In static incubation D16:16 cells gave more consistent results especially with respect to inhibition by glucocorticoids and were used in all subsequent studies. Synthetic glucocorticoids acting through the type II receptor inhibited CRF-induced ACTH release within 45 min; at 120 min, stimulated release was strongly (80-90%) suppressed. In contrast, no consistent inhibition by corticosterone could be found. In the presence of glycyrrhetinic acid, an inhibitor of 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, a high concentration of corticosterone (10 microM) did produce a slight inhibition of ACTH release. Dexamethasone also inhibited ACTH release induced by the calcium channel activator compound (+)202-791. The accumulation of cAMP in response to CRF was not altered by dexamethasone. The inhibitory effect of synthetic glucocorticoids on ACTH release was prevented by blockers of messenger RNA (actinomycin D, dichlorobenzimidazole ribofuranoside) or protein (puromycin) biosynthesis, indicating the induction of new proteins. Immunoblotting for lipocortin I (annexin I) and chromogranin A revealed no induction by dexamethasone of any of these proteins in D16:16 cells. Messenger RNA encoding lipocortin I was not detectable and was not induced by treatment with dexamethasone in D16:16 cells. These data show that the AtT20 D16:16 strain is a useful model for early glucocorticoid action, which is mediated by type II receptors and involves the induction of new protein(s). Notably, induction of lipocortin I messenger RNA or protein could not be detected at a time when the inhibitory effect of glucocorticoids on stimulated hormone secretion was maximal.

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

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.

Regulation of cyclic AMP formation in cultures of human foetal astrocytes by beta 2-adrenergic and adenosine receptors.

Two cell cultures, NEP2 and NEM2, isolated from human foetal brain have been maintained through several passages and found to express some properties of astrocytes. Both cell cultures contain adenylate cyclase stimulated by catecholamines with a potency order of isoprenaline greater than adrenaline greater than salbutamol much greater than noradrenaline, which is consistent with the presence of beta 2-adrenergic receptors. This study reports that the beta 2-adrenergic-selective antagonist ICI 118,551 is approximately 1,000 times more potent at inhibiting isoprenaline stimulation of cyclic AMP (cAMP) formation in both NEP2 and NEM2 than the beta 1-adrenergic-selective antagonist practolol. This observation confirms the presence of beta 2-adrenergic receptors in these cell cultures. The formation of cAMP in NEP2 is also stimulated by 5'-(N-ethylcarboxamido)adenosine (NECA) more potently than by either adenosine or N6-(L-phenylisopropyl)adenosine (L-PIA), which suggests that this foetal astrocyte expresses adenosine A2 receptors. Furthermore, L-PIA and NECA inhibit isoprenaline stimulation of cAMP formation, a result suggesting the presence of adenosine A1 receptors on NEP2. The presence of A1 receptors is confirmed by the observation that the A1-selective antagonist 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine reverses the inhibition of isoprenaline stimulation of cAMP formation by L-PIA and NECA. Additional evidence that NEP2 expresses adenosine receptors linked to the adenylate cyclase-inhibitory GTP-binding protein is provided by the finding that pretreatment of these cells with pertussis toxin reverses the adenosine inhibition of cAMP formation stimulated by either isoprenaline or forskolin.