Rat Adrenal Medullary Chromaffin Cells Research Articles

Enhancement of muscarinic receptor-mediated excitation in spontaneously hypertensive rat adrenal medullary chromaffin cells.

One of the mechanisms for hypertension is an increase in blood catecholamines due to increased secretion from sympathetic nerve terminals and adrenal medullary chromaffin (AMC) cells. Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) are used as an animal model of hypertension. Catecholamine secretion in AMC cells occurs in response to humoral factors and neuronal inputs from the sympathetic nerve fibres. Acetylcholine (ACh) released from the nerve terminals activates nicotinic as well as muscarinic ACh receptors. The present experiment aimed to elucidate whether muscarinic receptor-mediated excitation is altered in SHR AMC cells and, if it is, how. Compared with normotensive rat AMC cells, muscarinic stimulation induced greater catecholamine secretion and larger depolarising inward currents in SHR AMC cells. In contrast to normotensive rat AMC cells, the muscarine-induced current consisted of quinine-sensitive and quinine-insensitive components. The former and the latter are possibly ascribed to nonselective cation channel activation and TWIK-related acid-sensitive K+ (TASK) channel inhibition, as noted in guinea pig AMC cells. In fact, immunoreactive material for TASK1 and several isoforms of transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channels was detected in SHR AMC cells. Stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1), which plays an essential role for heteromeric TRPC1-TRPC4 channel formation and is not expressed in normotensive rat AMC cells, was detected in the cytoplasm and co-localised with TRPC1. The expression of muscarinic M1 receptors was enhanced in SHR AMC cells compared with normotensive rats. The results indicate that muscarinic excitation is enhanced in SHR AMC cells, probably through facilitation of TRPC channel signalling.

Muscarinic Receptor Stimulation Does Not Inhibit Voltage-dependent Ca2+ Channels in Rat Adrenal Medullary Chromaffin Cells.

Adrenal medullary chromaffin (AMC) and sympathetic ganglion cells are derived from the neural crest and show a similar developmental path. Thus, these two cell types have many common properties in membrane excitability and signaling. However, AMC cells function as endocrine cells while sympathetic ganglion cells are neurons. In rat sympathetic ganglion cells, muscarinic M1 and M4 receptors mediate excitation and inhibition via suppression of M-type K+ channels and suppression of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, respectively. On the other hand, M1 receptor stimulation in rat AMC cells also produces excitation by suppressing TWIK-related acid sensitive K+ (TASK) channels. However, whether M4 receptors are coupled with voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel suppression is unclear. We explore this issue electrophysiologically and biochemically. Electrical stimulation of nerve fibers in rat adrenal glands trans-synaptically increased the Ca2+ signal in AMC cells. This electrically evoked increased Ca2+ signal was not altered during muscarine-induced increase in Ca2+ signal, whereas it decreased significantly during a GABA-induced increase, due to a shunt effect of increased Cl- conductance. The whole-cell current recordings revealed that voltage-dependent Ca2+ currents in AMC cells were suppressed by adenosine triphosphate, but not by muscarinic agonists. The fractionation analysis and immunocytochemistry indicated that CaV1.2 Ca2+ channels and M4 receptors are located in the raft and non-raft membrane domains, respectively. We concluded that muscarinic stimulation in rat AMC cells does not produce voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel inhibition. This lack of muscarinic inhibition is at least partly due to physical separation of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels and M4 receptors in the plasma membrane.

GABA Signaling and Neuroactive Steroids in Adrenal Medullary Chromaffin Cells.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is produced not only in the brain, but also in endocrine cells by the two isoforms of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), GAD65 and GAD67. In rat adrenal medullary chromaffin cells only GAD67 is expressed, and GABA is stored in large dense core vesicles (LDCVs), but not synaptic-like microvesicles (SLMVs). The α3β2/3γ2 complex represents the majority of GABAA receptors expressed in rat and guinea pig chromaffin cells, whereas PC12 cells, an immortalized rat chromaffin cell line, express the α1 subunit as well as the α3. The expression of α3, but not α1, in PC12 cells is enhanced by glucocorticoid activity, which may be mediated by both the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). GABA has two actions mediated by GABAA receptors in chromaffin cells: it induces catecholamine secretion by itself and produces an inhibition of synaptically evoked secretion by a shunt effect. Allopregnanolone, a neuroactive steroid which is secreted from the adrenal cortex, produces a marked facilitation of GABAA receptor channel activity. Since there are no GABAergic nerve fibers in the adrenal medulla, GABA may function as a para/autocrine factor in the chromaffin cells. This function of GABA may be facilitated by expression of the immature isoforms of GAD and GABAA receptors and the lack of expression of plasma membrane GABA transporters (GATs). In this review, we will consider how the para/autocrine function of GABA is achieved, focusing on the structural and molecular mechanisms for GABA signaling.

Influence of ketamine on catecholamine secretion in the perfused rat adrenal medulla.

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of ketamine, a dissociative anesthetics, on secretion of catecholamines (CA) secretion evoked by cholinergic stimulation from the perfused model of the isolated rat adrenal gland, and to establish its mechanism of action, and to compare ketamine effect with that of thiopental sodium, which is one of intravenous barbiturate anesthetics. Ketamine (30~300microM), perfused into an adrenal vein for 60 min, dose- and time-dependently inhibited the CA secretory responses evoked by ACh (5.32 mM), high K(+) (a direct membrane-depolarizer, 56 mM), DMPP (a selective neuronal nicotinic NN receptor agonist, 100microM) and McN-A-343 (a selective muscarinic M1 receptor agonist, 100microM). Also, in the presence of ketamine (100microM), the CA secretory responses evoked by veratridine (a voltage-dependent Na(+) channel activator, 100microM), Bay-K-8644 (an L-type dihydropyridine Ca(2+) channel activator, 10microM), and cyclopiazonic acid (a cytoplasmic Ca(2+)-ATPase inhibitor, 10microM) were significantly reduced, respectively. Interestingly, thiopental sodium (100microM) also caused the inhibitory effects on the CA secretory responses evoked by ACh, high K(+) , DMPP, McN-A-343, veratridine, Bay-K-8644, and cyclopiazonic acid. Collectively, these experimental results demonstrate that ketamine inhibits the CA secretion evoked by stimulation of cholinergic (both nicotinic and muscarinic) receptors and the membrane depolarization from the isolated perfused rat adrenal gland. It seems likely that the inhibitory effect of ketamine is mediated by blocking the influx of both Ca(2+) and Na(+) through voltage-dependent Ca(2+) and Na(+) channels into the rat adrenal medullary chromaffin cells as well as by inhibiting Ca(2+) release from the cytoplasmic calcium store, which are relevant to the blockade of cholinergic receptors. It is also thought that, on the basis of concentrations, ketamine causes similar inhibitory effect with thiopental in the CA secretion from the perfused rat adrenal medulla.

Influence of polyphenolic compounds isolated fromRubus coreanum on catecholamine release in the rat adrenal medulla

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether polyphenolic compounds isolated from wine brewed from Rubus coreanum MIQUEL (PCRC) may affect the release of catecholamine (CA) from the isolated perfused rat adrenal medulla, and to establish its mechanism of action. PCRC (20-180 microg/mL) perfused into an adrenal vein for 90 min dose- and time-dependently inhibited the CA secretory responses evoked by acetylcholine (ACh, 5.32 mM), high K+ (a direct membrane-depolarizer, 56 mM), DMPP (a selective neuronal nicotinic Nn receptor agonist, 100 microM) and McN-A-343 (a selective muscarinic M1 receptor agonist, 100 microM). Also, in the presence of PCRC (60 microg/mL), the secretory responses of CA evoked by Bay-K-8644 (a L-type dihydropyridine Ca2+ channel activator, 10 microM), and cyclopiazonic acid (a cytoplasmic Ca2+-ATPase inhibitor, 10 microM) were significantly reduced, respectively. In the simultaneous presence of PCRC (60 microg/mL) and L-NAME (an inhibitor of NO synthase, 30 microM), the inhibitory responses of PCRC on the CA secretion evoked by ACh, high K+, DMPP, and Bay-K-8644 were considerably recovered to the extent of the corresponding control secretion compared with the inhibitory effect of PCRC alone. Taken together, these results obtained from the present study demonstrate that PCRC inhibits the CA secretory responses from the isolated perfused adrenal gland of the normotensive rats evoked by stimulation of cholinergic (both muscarinic and nicotinic) receptors as well as by direct membrane-depolarization. It seems that this inhibitory effect of PCRC is exerted by inhibiting both the calcium influx into the rat adrenal medullary chromaffin cells and the uptake of Ca2+ into the cytoplasmic calcium store partly through the increased NO production due to the activation of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), which are at least relevant to the direct interaction with the nicotinic receptor itself. It is also thought that PCRC might be effective in prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Arecoline inhibits catecholamine release from perfused rat adrenal gland1

To study the effect of arecoline, an alkaloid isolated from Areca catechu, on the secretion of catecholamines (CA) evoked by cholinergic agonists and the membrane depolarizer from isolated perfused rat adrenal gland. Adrenal glands were isolated from male Sprague-Dawley rats. The adrenal glands were perfused with Krebs bicarbonate solution by means of a peristaltic pump. The CA content of the perfusate was measured directly using the fluorometric method. Arecoline (0.1-1.0 mmol/L) perfused into an adrenal vein for 60 min produced dose- and time-dependent inhibition in CA secretory responses evoked by acetylcholine (ACh) (5.32 mmol/L), 1.1-dimethyl-4-phenyl piperazinium iodide (DMPP) (100 micromol/L for 2 min) and 3-(m-choloro-phenyl-carbamoyl-oxy)-2-butynyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (McN-A-343) (100 micromol/L for 2 min). However, lower doses of arecoline did not affect CA secretion of high K(+) (56 mmol/L); higher doses greatly reduced CA secretion of high K(+). Arecoline also failed to affect basal catecholamine output. Furthermore, in adrenal glands loaded with arecoline (0.3 mmol/L), CA secretory response evoked by Bay-K-8644 (10 micromol/L), an activator of L-type Ca(2+) channels, was markedly inhibited, whereas CA secretion by cyclopiazonic acid (10 micromol/L), an inhibitor of cytoplasmic Ca(2+)-ATPase, was not affected. Nicotine (30 micromol/L), which was perfused into the adrenal gland for 60 min, however, initially enhanced ACh-evoked CA secretory responses. As time elapsed, these responses became more inhibited, whereas the initially enhanced high K(+)-evoked CA release diminished. CA secretion evoked by DMPP and McN-A-343 was significantly depressed in the presence of nicotine. Arecoline dose-dependently inhibits CA secretion from isolated perfused rat adrenal gland evoked by activation of cholinergic receptors. At lower doses arecoline does not inhibit CA secretion through membrane depolarization, but at larger doses it does. This inhibitory effect of arecoline may be mediated by blocking the calcium influx into the rat adrenal medullary chromaffin cells without the inhibition of Ca(2+) release from the cytoplasmic calcium store. There seems to be a difference in the mode of action of nicotine and arecoline in rat adrenomedullary CA secretion.

Influence of naloxone on catecholamine release evoked by nicotinic receptor stimulation in the isolated rat adrenal gland

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of naloxone, a well known opioid antagonist, on the secretion of catecholamines (CA) evoked by cholinergic stimulation and membrane-depolarization in the isolated perfused rat adrenal glands, and to establish its mechanism of action. Naloxone (10(-6) approximately 10(-5) M), perfused into an adrenal vein for 60 min, produced dose- and time-dependent inhibition of CA secretory responses evoked by ACh (5.32 x 10(-3) M), high K+ (5.6 x 10(-2) M), DMPP (10(-4) M) and McN-A-343 (10(-4) M). Naloxone itself also failed to affect the basal CA output. In adrenal glands loaded with naloxone (3 x 10(-6) M), the CA secretory responses evoked by Bay-K-8644, an activator of L-type Ca2+ channels, and cyclopiazonic acid, an inhibitor of cytoplasmic Ca(2+)-ATPase, were also inhibited. In the presence of met-enkephalin (5 x 10(-6) M), a well known opioid agonist, the CA secretory responses evoked by ACh, high K+, DMPP, McN-A-343, Bay-K-8644 and cyclopiazonic acid were also significantly inhibited. Taken together, these results suggest that naloxone greatly inhibits the CA secretion evoked by stimulation of cholinergic (both nicotinic and muscarinic) receptors as well as that by membrane depolarization. It seems that these inhibitory effects of naloxone does not involve opioid receptors, but might be mediated by blocking both the calcium influx into the rat adrenal medullary chromaffin cells and the uptake of Ca2+ into the cytoplasmic calcium store, which are at least partly relevant to the direct interaction with the nicotinic receptor itself.

Influence of lobeline on catecholamine release from the isolated perfused rat adrenal gland

It has been shown that lobeline (α-lobeline) is a lipophilic, nonpyridine, naturally occurring alkaloid obtained from Indian tobacco, Lobelia inflata. The present study was attempted to investigate the effect of lobeline on secretion of catecholamines (CA) evoked by ACh, high K +, 1.1-dimethyl-4-phenyl piperazinium iodide (DMPP) and (3-( m-chloro-phenyl-carbamoyl-oxy)-2-butynyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (McN-A-343) from the isolated perfused rat adrenal gland and to establish the mechanism of its action. l-Lobeline (30–300 μM) perfused into an adrenal vein for 60 min produced dose- and time-dependent inhibition in CA secretory responses evoked by ACh (5.32×10 −3 M), DMPP (10 −4 M for 2 min) and McN-A-343 (10 −4 M for 2 min). However, lower dose of lobeline did not affect CA secretion by high K + (5.6×10 −2 M), higher dose of it reduced greatly CA secretion of high K +. l-Lobeline itself did also fail to affect basal catecholamine output. Furthermore, in adrenal glands loaded with lobeline (100 μM), CA secretory response evoked by methyl-1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-3-nitro-4-(2-trifluoromethylphenyl)-pyridine-5-carboxylate (Bay-K-8644), an activator of L-type Ca 2+ channels was markedly inhibited while CA secretion by cyclopiazonic acid, an inhibitor of cytoplasmic Ca 2+-ATPase was not affected. However, nicotine (30 μM), given into the adrenal gland for 60 min, initially rather enhanced CA secretory responses evoked by ACh (5.32×10 −3 M) and high K + (5.6×10 −2 M) followed by great inhibition later, while responses evoked by DMPP (10 −4 M for 2 min) and McN-A-343 (10 −4 M for 2 min) were greatly inhibited. Taken together, these results suggest that lobeline inhibits greatly CA secretion evoked by stimulation of cholinergic (both nicotinic and muscarinic) receptors. Lobeline at lower dose does not affect that by membrane depolarization, but at larger dose inhibits that. It is thought that this inhibitory effect of lobeline may be mediated by blocking the calcium influx into the rat adrenal medullary chromaffin cells without the inhibition of Ca 2+ release from the cytoplasmic calcium store, which is relevant to its nicotinic antagonistic activity. It also seems that there is a difference in the mode of action between nicotine and lobeline in rat adrenomedullary CA secretion.

Effect of dexamethasone on voltage-gated Ca2+ channels and cytosolic Ca2+ in rat chromaffin cells.

The present study examined whether the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DEX) can modulate voltage-gated Ca2+ channel (VGCC) activity, and as a consequence agonist-induced increases in cytosolic Ca2+, in cultured rat adrenal medullary chromaffin (RAMC) cells. Exposure to 1 microM DEX for 48 h significantly increased peak VGCC current (delta +140%). DEX treatment also significantly potentiated the increases in cytosolic Ca2+ in response to submaximal stimulatory concentrations of KCl (delta +64%) and nicotine (delta +32%). The Ca2+ channel agonist BAY K-8644 increased both VGCC current (delta +109%) and potentiated the KCl-stimulated increase in cytosolic Ca2+ (delta +35%) to a comparable extent to that seen with DEX. These data suggest that DEX treatment increases VGCC activity, and that this increased Ca2+ influx leads to potentiation of agonist-induced increases in cytosolic Ca2+ in RAMC cells.

Contribution of L- and N-type calcium currents to exocytosis in rat adrenal medullary chromaffin cells

The excitation-secretion coupling process requires Ca 2+ influx through voltage-dependent Ca 2+ channels (VDCC) but the contribution of L-type or N-type VDCC during the secretion from adrenal chromaffin cell is still on debate. In this study we explored the contribution of each VDCC to exocytosis in single rat adrenal chromaffin cells. Chromaffin cells were voltage-clamped in the whole-cell recording mode. Ca 2+ inward current ( I Ca) was elicited by depolarization from −70 mV to +10 mV and the change in cell membrane capacitance ( C m) was monitored as an indicator of the resultant exocytosis. The increase in C m had positive correlation with the amount of I Ca and replacing the internal Ca 2+ buffer to high EGTA (5 mM) decreased the sensitivity of C m increase to Ca 2+ influx. After blockage of I Ca with 100 μM Cd 2+, there was no increase in C m following membrane potential depolarization while I Na was intact. To clarify the contribution of each type of VDCC to induce exocytosis during membrane potential depolarization, L- and N-type I Ca were blocked selectively by Ca 2+ channel antagonists. After blockage of L-type I Ca with nicardipine (1 μM), I Ca was blocked to 35 ± 6.2% (mean ± standard error) of control and the resultant change in C m was reduced to 38 ± 4.6% of control. Bay K-8644 (1 μM) enhanced I Ca and the similar proportion of C m was increased by this L-type VDCC agonist. On the other hand ω-conotoxin GVIA (1 μM), an N-type VDCC antagonist, blocked I Ca to 60 ± 4.3% of control and reduced the change in C m to 58 ± 3.9% of control. In the presence of both Ca 2+ channel antagonists, I Ca and resultant C m change were almost blocked. From the observation of parallel effects of Ca 2+ channel antagonists on I Ca and C m, we conclude that L-type and N-type VDCC in rat adrenal chromaffin cell are recruited concurrently with similar efficiency in the stimulation-secretion coupling process.

Influence of TMB-8 on secretion of catecholamines from the perfused rat adrenal glands

An attempt was made to investigate the effect of TMB-8 [3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate-8 (N,N-diethylamino) octyl ester], which is known to be an inhibitor of intracellular Ca2+ release, on catecholamines (CA) secretion evoked by Ach, excess K+, DMPP, McN-A-343 and caffeine from the isolated perfused rat adrenal glands and to clearify its mechanism of action. The pretreatment with a low dose of TMB-8 (10 μM) for 20 min led to marked inhibition in CA secretion evoked by Ach (5.32 mM), excess K+ (56 mM), DMPP (100 μM), McN-A-343 (100 μM) and BAY-K 8644 (10−5M). Caffeine-induced CA secretion was similar to that of control only during the first periods (0–3 min) but thereafter marked inhibition in CA secretion evoked by caffeine was observed during the rest periods up to 30 min. The increased moderate concentration of TMB-8 (30 μM) caused the result similar to that of 10 μM TMB-8. However, in adrenal glands preloaded with a high dose of TMB-8 (100 μM), CA releases evoked by Ach, excess K+, DMPP, McN-A-343 and caffeine were almost completely blocked by the drug. These experimental data demonstrate that TMB-8 may inhibit cholinergic receptor-mediated and also depolarization-dependent CA secretion, suggesting that these TMB-8 effects seem to be mediated through inhibiting influx of extracellular calcium into the rat adrenal medullary chromaffin cells as well as reducing the release of calcium from intracellular sources.

Serotonin Coexists with Epinephrine in Rat Adrenal Medullary Cells

Immunoreactive serotonin is demonstrated to be present in 75% of rat adrenal medullary cells using an antibody to serotonin and peroxidase-antiperoxidase immunocytochemical method. The concentration of serotonin in rat adrenals was found to be 7.7 +/- 0.1 X 10(-6) mol/kg wet weight by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Drugs that block serotonin synthesis (p-chlorophenylalanine) or deplete biogenic amines (reserpine) diminish immunostaining. The serotonin precursor L-tryptophan and pargyline, a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, augment staining in reserpine-depleted adrenals. Serotonin is localized in those medullary cells which contain phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase, an enzyme which is necessary for the synthesis of epinephrine. We conclude, therefore, that serotonin coexists with epinephrine in rat adrenal medullary chromaffin cells. These results suggest that the adrenal medulla may play a major role in the metabolism of serotonin.

Ultrastructure of growth cones formed by isolated rat adrenal medullary chromaffin cells in vitro after treatment with nerve growth factor

Growth cones formed by adrenal chromaffin cells from young postnatal rats cultured in the presence of nerve growth factor (NGF) were studied at an electron microscopic level. These growth cones are similar in many respects to those formed by sympathetic neurons in vitro supporting the view that NGF-treated chromaffin cells may undergo neuronal transdifferentiation.