Adrenocortical sensitivity to ACTH in neonatal rats: correlation of corticosterone responses and adrenal cAMP content

Affiliations

Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center

Abstract

A coordinated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response is important for the survival of newborns during stress. We have previously shown that prior to post-natal day (PD) 5, neonatal rats exposed to hypoxia (one of the most common stressors effecting premature neonates) exhibit a large corticosterone response without a drastic increase in immunoassayable plasma ACTH and without a detectable increase in adrenal cAMP content (the critical second messenger). To explore this phenomenon and to further our knowledge of the mechanism of steroidogenesis in the neonate, we investigated the adrenal response to exogenous ACTH in the normoxic neonatal rat. Rat pups at PD2 and PD8 were injected (IP) with porcine ACTH at a low, moderate, or high doses (1, 4, or 20 µg/kg body weight). Trunk blood and whole adrenal glands were collected at baseline (before injection) and 15, 30, or 60 minutes after the injection. ACTH stimulated corticosterone release in PD2 and PD8 pups. In PD2 pups, plasma corticosterone at baseline and during the response to ACTH injection was greater than values measured in PD8 pups, despite lower adrenal cAMP content in PD2 pups. Specifically, the low and moderate physiological ACTH doses produced a large corticosterone response in PD2 pups without a change in adrenal cAMP content. At extremely high, pharmacological levels of plasma ACTH in PD2 pups (exceeding 3000 pg/mL), an increase in adrenal cAMP was measured. We conclude that physiological increases in plasma ACTH may stimulate adrenal steroidogenesis in PD2 pups through a non-cAMP mediated pathway.

Document Type

Article

PubMed ID

24898842

Link to Full Text

 

Share

COinS