A direct influence of 5-hydroxytryptamine on the adrenal cortex.

Abstract

An in vitro comparison of adrenals treated with and without 5-hydroxytryptaminc (serotonin) has permitted the demonstration that serotonin has a direct effect on the adrenal cortex. An increase in the secretion of blue tetrazolium (BT) reactive reducing material was elicited by serotonin from the adrenals of rabbits, guinea pig, rat and cow. The response was observable at serotonin levels between 100 to 1000 μg./pair of adrenals. Neither reserpine nor epinephrine had a comparable effect and no alterations in BT-titers were found in kidney and liver slices treated with serotonin. Although serotonin had a similar quantitative effect like ACTH on adrenal BT content, the serotonin influence could be distinguished by the appearance of non-α-ketolic reducing material. The nature of the increased BT material has been partially suggested by its chromatographic and biological behavior. On silica gel columns and toluene-propylene glycol chromatograms, the BT substance(s) migrated similarly to steroids. The material...