Second messenger mechanisms governing opiate peptide transmitter regulation in the rat adrenal medulla

Immunologically induced sympathectomy of preganglionic nerves by antibodies against acetylcholinesterase: increased levels of peptides and their messenger RNAs in rat adrenal chromaffin cells

Systemic administration of murine monoclonal acetylcholinesterase antibodies to rats has been shown to cause selective degeneration of sympathetic preganglionic neurons. In the present study rats were subjected to a single i.v. injection of these acetylcholinesterase antibodies, or to normal IgG or saline for control. Exophthalmos, piloerection and eyelid-drooping (ptosis) were observed within 1 h after administration of the antibodies. Rats were killed at different time-points after antibody administration, and the adrenal glands were analysed by means of indirect immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization histochemistry. As soon as 3 h after the antibody treatment, a marked increase in the number of chromaffin cells expressing mRNA encoding, respectively, enkephalin, calcitonin gene-related peptide, galanin, neurotensin and substance P was seen. At 12 h the peptide mRNA levels were still elevated and there was a concomitant increase in the number of peptide-immunoreactive cells. All peptide levels remained high for at least 48 h; however, 77 days after the antibody treatment only enkephalin-immunoreactive cells could be encountered. A disappearance of acetylcholinesterase- and enkephalin-immunoreactive cells could be encountered. A disappearance of acetylcholinesterase- and enkephalin-positive fibers was already seen 3 h after the antibody treatment, and after 24 h no fibers were encountered. In contrast, up until 48 h there was no apparent change in the number or intensity of immunofluorescent fibers expressing calcitonin gene-related peptide, galanin, neurotensin or substance P. However, 77 days after the antibody treatment the number of calcitonin gene-related peptide- and substance P-immunoreactive fibers was increased as compared to controls. In addition, reappearance of acetylcholinesterase- and enkephalin-immunoreactive fibers was seen 77 days after antibody administration, although their number was still low as compared to controls. Double-labeling immunohistochemistry revealed that the chromaffin cells expressing peptides after the antibody treatment preferentially were adrenaline storing cells (noradrenaline-negative). The majority of these cells expressed only one peptide. Both surgical transection of the splanchnic nerve as well as treatment with acetylcholine receptor antagonists mimicked the effects seen after the acetylcholinesterase-antibody treatment, although changes were less pronounced. The present results show that interruption of splanchnic transmission induces fast, marked, and selective increases in peptide expression in rat adrenal chromaffin cells.

Metrazole induction of c-fos and proenkephalin gene expression in the rat adrenal and hippocampus: pharmacological characterization

We have previously reported that the administration of metrazole (MTZ) produces a sequential, dose-dependent induction of c-fos and proenkephalin (Penk) gene expression in the rat hippocampus and adrenal. The adrenal is more sensitive to induction of these genes by MTZ. In the present study, we have compared the induction of c-fos and Penk in the hippocampus and adrenal, and examined the consequences of selected pharmacological manipulations. Treatment with LY274614, a competitive NMDA-receptor antagonist, blocked MTZ-induced convulsions and the MTZ-induction of c-fos and PPenk mRNAs in the hippocampus, and PPenk mRNA in the adrenal. However, in the adrenal the MTZ-induction of c-fos was only partially inhibited by LY274614. A combination of peripheral acting cholinergic antagonists (chlorisondamine plus methylatropine) prevented the MTZ-induction of adrenal c-fos and PPenk mRNA without significant alterations in the MTZ-induction of hippocampal c-fos mRNA or convulsions. Trifluoperazine, a calcium/calmodulin inhibitor, attenuated the MTZ-induction of c-fos mRNA while potentiating the MTZ-induction of PPenk mRNA in both the hippocampus and the adrenal. These results demonstrate that the MTZ induction of c-fos and Penk gene expression in the rat adrenal can be modulated by drugs acting in the CNS at NMDA receptors, in the periphery at postsynaptic cholinergic receptors and intracellularly at the calcium/calmodulin signal transduction pathway. Furthermore, we provide additional evidence that MTZ-induction of c-fos and Penk mRNAs can be dissociated by drugs acting at these sites.

Ethanol blocks the cold-induced increase in thyrotropin-releasing hormone mRNA in paraventricular nuclei but not the cold-induced increase in thyrotropin

The effects of a single intraperitoneal injection of ethanol (3 g/kg b.wt.) on the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid system was explored as a possible explanation of the hypothermic effect of ethanol. Serum thyroid hormones were significantly reduced by ethanol injection, but ethanol did not affect the cold-induced increase in serum thyroid hormones or thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Since cold-exposure stimulates serum levels of TSH and thyroid hormones by stimulating thyroid-releasing hormone (TRH) release from neurons of the PVN, these findings demonstrate that ethanol did not block pituitary response to TRH or thyroid response to TSH. Paradoxically, ethanol increased cellular levels of TRH mRNA in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN), and blocked the cold-induced increase in TRH mRNA, suggesting that ethanol uncouples the regulation of TRH gene expression from the regulation of TRH release specifically in neurons of the PVN. Measurements of the effects of ethanol on TRH mRNA in thalamus, and beta-actin, vasopressin, somatostatin and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) mRNAs in the PVN in addition to TRH mRNA revealed very specific effects of ethanol on the TRH neuronal system.

Regulation of proenkephalin A gene expression in aggregating fetal rat brain cells

1. Aggregating fetal rat brain cells express a significant amount of proenkephalin A (PENK) mRNA, a selective radioimmunoassay shows that this mRNA is also translated into enkephalins. 2. Depolarization with potassium chloride (KCl) or veratridine increases the expression of PENK mRNA in a time-dependent fashion, with a maximal increase of sixfold. It is interesting, however, that depolarization of the same cultures with KCl has no effect on the expression of prodynorphin mRNA. 3. An increase in PENK mRNA levels has been also observed in cultures treated with 8-Br-cAMP, phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (TPA), or dexamethasone. 4. However, incubation of the cultures with the opioid agonist etorphine or the antagonist naltrexone did not alter PENK gene expression, suggesting that there is not feedback control of opioids on PENK biosynthesis in these cells. 5. The increase in PENK mRNA in depolarized and in TPA-dexamethasone-, or 8-Br-cAMP-treated cultures was not accompanied by a significant increase in the amount of free immunoreactive met-enkephalin. Fetal brain cell cultures are therefore a useful neuronal model system for studying the mechanism that regulated the expression of PENK mRNA.

Calcium-dependent regulation of the enkephalin phenotype by neuronal activity during early ontogeny

Genetic components of the neuronal phenotype are regulated by epigenetic factors--trophic molecules and neuronal activity--during neurodifferentiation. Developing neurons in dissociated cultures of embryonic mouse spinal cord show spontaneous electrical activity after one week in culture. We now report that the blockade of this spontaneous electrical activity for two days with tetrodotoxin (TTX) causes virtually complete down-regulation of preproenkephalin A gene transcripts in embryonic spinal cord cultures. This TTX-induced down-regulation is fully reversed upon reinitiation of neuronal activity (removal of TTX from cultures). This reversible, tetrodotoxin-induced down-regulation of enkephalin mRNA is confined to a restricted period of early neurodevelopment (days 7 to 21 in culture). Since depolarization triggers calcium entry through voltage-activated calcium channels, we have investigated the involvement of calcium in the mechanism of this activity- and age-dependent regulation of preproenkephalin A expression. The selective activation of the L-type of voltage-sensitive calcium channels by a dihydropyridine derivative [(+) 202-791] prevented this TTX-induced down-regulation without reducing methionine enkephalin secretion. This effect was observed only when the drug was applied to electrically active cultures, prior to the addition of TTX. Simultaneous application of (+) 202-791 and TTX, or pretreatment with TTX, failed to prevent TTX-induced down-regulation. Thus, activity-dependent phenotypic plasticity of met-enkephalinergic neurons in spinal cord is: 1) maximum at an early age of neuronal development (less than 10 days in culture) and becomes less apparent in old cultures (greater than 30 days); 2) reversible throughout; and 3) mediated by calcium entry through L-type channels.

Bimodal regulation of adrenal opiate peptides by cholinergic mechanisms

Physiologic stressors increase trans-synaptic impulse activity and result in adrenal catecholamine release and biosynthesis. To determine the effects of stress on the co-localized opiate peptide system, rats were cold stressed at 4 degrees C. While cold stress slightly decreased enkephalin levels, a more severe stress (wetting and cold) increased enkephalin levels by 95%. Examining trans-synaptic-cholinergic mechanisms, treatment with either nicotinic or muscarinic agonists alone resulted in no change in adrenal enkephalin content. However, treatment with both nicotinic and muscarinic agonists together resulted in a three-fold rise in enkephalin levels. To further examine cellular mechanisms, medullae were explanted in the presence of agents that increase second messenger cyclic nucleotide levels. Treatments that increase the levels of cAMP, the cyclic nucleotide associated with nicotinic receptor activation, prevented the rise in medullary enkephalin relative to control explants. In contrast, treatments that increased cGMP levels, the cyclic nucleotide associated with muscarinic receptor activation, had no effect on enkephalin content compared to control explants. However, in the presence of both forskolin (10 microM) plus db-cGMP (5 mM), enkephalin content rose three-fold over control explants. These data suggest that, distinct from catecholamine pathways, enkephalin levels can be positively or negatively regulated by the severity of a stressful stimulus, by cholinergic receptor mechanisms and by an interaction of cyclic nucleotide second-messenger pathways.

Do persistent morphine effects involve interactions with the genome?

Male rats were administered morphine in a liquid diet until five days prior to mating with drug naive nulliparous female rats which received no treatment during gestation. The birth weight of resulting litters was significantly reduced. The preconceptionally morphine-treated offspring showed a 34.8% +/- 17.1% mortality during the first 8 days compared with 0% in the control group and their weight gain profile was decreased as compared with controls. A persistent effect of paternally administered morphine was seen in 90-day-old male offspring. A possible way to further enlighten the underlying mechanisms is proposed.

Preproenkephalin DNA-binding proteins in the rat: 5' flanking region

Various extracellular signals (i.e. transmitters, hormones, growth factors, etc.), together with their respective second-messenger pathways, regulate transmitter biosynthesis and neuronal function by altering gene expression. In this study we validated a protocol for isolating rat striatum and adrenal medullary nuclei for the purpose of extracting, identifying, and characterizing, nuclear regulatory factors which may serve a functional role in signal-transduction processes. Through gel retardation studies using a 299 base pair (bp) XmnI-SacI 32P-labeled probe (derived from the 5' untranslated region of the rat preproenkephalin gene), we show that different patterns of retained bands result from nuclear extracts derived from rat adrenal medulla and striatum (as well as from other tissue). These tissue differences may have biological significance since rat adrenal medullae have low basal enkephalin levels while the striatum has high levels of this peptide and its respective mRNA. Additionally, certain retained bands were common to both cytosolic and nuclear compartments, suggesting binding factors may be located in either cell space. An initial biochemical characterization of these factors was also undertaken. Generally, salt levels of 100 mM or more reduced factor binding while 10-50 mM sodium ion levels showed preferentially enhanced bands. Binding activity appeared optimal at pH 6.8. As all retained bands were abrogated by proteinase K treatment, these factors appear to have a significant protein component. Finally, of particular interest is that this 299 bp region contains many sequences showing over 80% sequence identity with several previously characterized transcriptional control elements (i.e. cAMP and phorbol ester inducible enhancers, GCN4, AP1, Sp1, CCAAT binding factor, ATF, and AP2). If binding is confirmed (footprint analysis) and function validated (transfection studies), the evolutionary significance of the apparent presence of gene regulatory sequences and functional element divergence of the DNA region between different species can be evaluated.

Transcriptional control of adrenal catecholamine and opiate peptide transmitter genes

In the rat, decreasing transsynaptic activity through adrenal denervation, nicotinic receptor blockade, or explanation is associated with an increase in preproenkephalin mRNA, enkephalin prohormone and peptide. In contrast, catecholamine pathways remain unchanged under similar conditions. Since it is not known whether changes in messenger RNA result from stabilization or increased synthesis, we exploited transcription 'run-on' assays to measure the rate of transmitter gene read out. Tyrosine hydroxylase message (TH-mRNA) was found to be the most abundantly produced transcript in the unmanipulated control rat adrenal medulla. TH-mRNA was produced in excess of twice the rate of transcription of the structural gene beta-actin. In contrast, preproenkephalin transcription occurred at a much lower rate (60% of the actin gene and only 25% of tyrosine hydroxylase gene transcription). All transcripts were inhibited by the polymerase II inhibitor, alpha-amanitin. After two days in explant culture, the rate of enkephalin transcription increased approximately 2-fold (to the same level as actin transcription); while tyrosine hydroxylase transcriptional activity fell to 30% of actin level. To analyze cellular mechanisms, explants were depolarized with potassium chloride. Enkephalin gene transcription was observed to be 2.5-fold less when grown under depolarizing conditions (50 mM KCl) than in control explants. On the other hand, tyrosine hydroxylase gene read-out was unchanged, similar to results obtained when TH catalytic activity was measured. These data indicate that membrane depolarization can selectively regulate expression of a transmitter gene product and are consistent with a proposed transsynaptic regulatory mechanism controlling biosynthesis of adrenal opiate peptides.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Ontogeny of the opiate phenotype: an approach to defining transsynaptic mechanisms at the molecular level in the rat adrenal medulla

Transmitter phenotypic expressions is a dynamic cellular process governed by multiple interactions with the neuronal environment. During sympathoadrenal development the arrival of presynaptic nerve terminals at the adrenal chromaffin cell (in the immediate postnatal period), coincides with the acquisition and subsequent development of a variety of transmitter biosynthetic capacities. Data discussed herein supports the contention that synaptic connections serve a central role in triggering the ontological cascade. Disruption of the normal timing of innervation events is detrimental to subsequent function and results in permanent deficiencies in development. In addition, alteration of transmitter biosynthetic regulatory mechanisms appears to reside at the level of gene expression. In view of this, additional molecular approaches are necessary to further elucidate the fundamental basis of neuronal transmitter phenotypic plasticity. Our approach to this problem represents a logical extension of previous research in this area and ultimately, will involve characterizing transcription activator molecules important in transmitter gene expression at various ontological ages.