• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
• /
• 2002.04a
• /
• pp.108.2-109
• /
• 2002

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.83-91
• /
• 1996

The present study was designed to determine the effect of hydrocortisone on CA secretion evoked by histamine from the isolated perfused rat adrenal glands. Histamine (150 ug) given into an adrenal vein produced significantly CA secretion from the rat adrenal medulla. This histamine-evoked CA secretion was enhanced markedly by the pretreatment with the natural glucocorticoid hydrocortisone (30 uM) or the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone 30 (uM) for 20 min, respectively. Hydrocortisone-induced potentiation of CA secretion evoked by histamine was inhibited by preloading with heparin (3.56 U/ml), an $IP_3$ receptor antagonist while more enhanced by forskolin (0.2 uM), a potent stimulator of adenylate cyclase. From the experiment result taken together, it is thought that hydrocortisone (glucocorticoids) can enhance the releasing effect of CA evoked by histamine from the isolated perfused rat adrenal medulla, which seems to be associated to accumulation of inositol phosphate as well as cyclic AMP in the rat adrenomedullary chromaffin cells.

• Applied Microscopy
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.33-41
• /
• 1992

To clarify the exocytotic features in adrenal medullary aminergic cells, the authors observed rat adrenal medulla prepared by the TAGO method with transmission electron microscope. Rat adrenal medulla contains two types of aminergic cells, adrenergic and noradrenergic, as described. They were present as a group. In a single group both adrenergic and noradrenergic cells were present, but the same kind of cells showed the tendency forming small groups. Adrenergic cells were characterized with the granules having relatively electroluscent cores. These granules were relatively uniform in size, and the cores filled the granules with only thin halos. Noradrenergic cells were characterized with the granules of various size and forms. Most of the cores of these granules were generally more electron-dense than those of the adrenergic cells and only partly filled the granules without forming the halos. But, some granules were very similar in the shape and electron density as those of the adrenergic cells. Even empty-looking granules were present. Exocytotic figures with the classical omega figures were observed in both types of aminergic cells, but they were more frequent in adrenergic cells. These figures were mainly present along the plasma membranes toward the capillary. The excreted materials could be identified in the cleft of the omega figures. Apocrine-like secretory patterns but without cytoplasmic rims were identified in noradrenergic cells. Some vesicles, possibly formed from the cytoplsmic tubular systems were released. Some irregular lamellar structures of varying sizes were also observed. They looked like membranous structures sneaking through the plasma membranes. We could not, however, found any evidences of their involvement in exocytotic processes. These were present toward the capillaries and found only in the adrenergic cells. The authors conclude that the secretory processes in adrenal chromaffin cells may include not only the classical exocytotic processes but also the unusual direct secretions of granules or parts of cellular organelles. The membranous lamellar structures may indicate the remnants of excreted granules or functionally inactive excess membranes of the organelles removed from the cytoplasm.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.4 no.4
• /
• pp.270-275
• /
• 2010

Catecholamines are among the first molecules that displayed a kind of response to prolonged or repeated stress. It is well established that long-term stress leads to the induction of catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes such as tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine ${\beta}$-hydroxylase (DBH) in adrenal medulla. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of ginseng on TH and DBH mRNA expression. Repeated (2 h daily, 14 days) immobilization stress resulted in a significant increase of TH and DBH mRNA levels in rat adrenal medulla. However, ginseng treatment reversed the stress-induced increase of TH and DBH mRNA expression in the immobilization-stressed rats. Nicotine as a ligand of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) in adrenal medulla stimulates catecholamine secretion and activates TH and DBH gene expression. Nicotine treatment increased mRNA levels of TH and DBH by 3.3- and 3.1-fold in PC12 cells. The ginseng total saponin exhibited a significant reversal in the nicotine-induced increase of TH and DBH mRNA expression, decreasing the mRNA levels of TH and DBH by 57.2% and 48.9%, respectively in PC12 cells. In conclusion, immobilization stress induced catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes gene expression, while ginseng appeared to restore homeostasis via suppression of TH and DBH gene expression. In part, the regulatory activity in the TH and DBH gene expression of ginseng may account for the anti-stress action produced by ginseng.

• Applied Microscopy
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.30-47
• /
• 1995

The ultrastructural changes of adrenal chromaffin cells and ganglion cells in the adrenal gland of vacor-induced diabetic Mongolian gerbils were studied by electron microscopy. After one month of vacor-induced diabetes, some chromaffin cells were filled with dense bodies and large cytosomes with formy contents. Most of degenerating axon terminals were observed on chromaffin cells. A few macrophages were found among chromaffin cells at one month after induction. Several of these macrophages were filled with numerous phagosomes. After one month of vacor-induced diabetes, the ganglion cells showed increase in numbers of dense bodies and degenerating dendrites compared with the normal ganglion cells. Both electron dense and lucent types of degenerating axon terminals were found in interstitial space of the ganglion cells. Degenerating unmyelinated and myelinted axons contained dense and lamellar bodies. The satellite cells and macrophages with engulfed degenerated axon terminals were observed. After three months of vacor-induced diabetes, the unmyelinated and myelinated axons showed degenerative changes, whereas no structural changes could be demonstrated in adrenal ganglion and chromaffin cells. The satellite cells and macrophages containing partially digested debris were still commonly observed in the interstitial space of adrenal medulla. These results suggest that the degenerative changes occur in the adrenal ganglion cells as well as adrenal chromaffin cells of vacor-induced diabetic Mongolian gerbils.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
• /
• 1998.11a
• /
• pp.147-147
• /
• 1998

The present study was designed to examine the effect of total ginseng saponin on CA secretion evoked by activation of nicotinic receptors from the isolated perfused rat adrenal glands. Total ginseng saponin given (100 $\mu\textrm{g}$/20 min) into an adrenal vein did fail to produce alteration of spontaneous CA release from the rat adrenal medulla. Acetylcholine (5.32 mM)- and DMPP (100 uM, a selective ncotinic receptor agonist)-evoked CA secretory responses were reduced markedly by the pretreatment with the total ginseng saponin at a rate of 100 $\mu\textrm{g}$/6.2 $m\ell$/20 min, respectively.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.33-40
• /
• 2003

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of green tea extract (CUMC6335) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on secretion of catecholamines (CA) in the isolated perfused rat adrenal gland. ill the presence of CUMC6335 (100 $\mu\textrm{g}$/mL) into an adrenal vein for 60 min, CA secretory responses evoked by ACh(5.32 mM), high $K^+$ (56 mM) and Bay-K-8644 (10$\mu$M for 4 min) from the isolated perfused rat adrenal glands were greatly inhibited in a time-dependent fashion. However, EGCG (8 $\mu\textrm{g}$/mL) did not affect CA release evoked by ACh, high $K^+$ and Bay-K-8644. CUMC6335 itself did fail to affect basal catecholamine output. Taken together, these results demonstrate that CUMC6335 inhibits greatly CA secretion evoked by stimulation of cholinergic nicotinic receptors as well as by the direct membrane deplarization from the isolated perfused rat adrenal gland. It is felt that this inhibitory effect of CUMC6335 may be due to blocking action of the L-type dihydropyridine calcium channels in the rat adrenal medullary chromaffin cells, which is relevant to the cholinergic nicotinic blockade. It seems that there is a big difference in mode of action between CUMC6335 and EGCG.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.28 no.8
• /
• pp.914-922
• /
• 2005

The present study was designed to examine the effects of green tea extract (CUMC6335) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on secretion of catecholamines (CA) in the isolated perfused rabbit adrenal gland. In the presence of CUMC6335 $(200 {\mu}g/mL)$ into an adrenal vein for 60min, CA secretory responses evoked by ACh (5.32 mM), high $K^+$ (56 mM), DMPP $(100{\mu}M \;for\;2min)$, and Bay-K-8644 $(10{\mu}M\;for\;4min)$ from the isolated perfused rabbit adrenal glands were greatly inhibited in a time-dependent fashion. However, EGCG $(10{\mu}g/mL)$ did not affect CA release evoked by ACh, high $K^+$, and Bay-K-8644. CUMC6335 itself failed to affect basal catecholamine output. Taken together, these results demonstrate that CUMC6335 inhibits CA secretion evoked by stimulation of cholinergic nicotinic receptors, as well as the direct membrane depolarization from the isolated perfused rabbit adrenal gland. It is thought that this inhibitory effect of CUMC6335 may be due at least in part to the blocking action of the L-type dihydropyridine calcium channels in the rabbit adrenomedullary chromaffin cells, which is relevant to the cholinergic nicotinic blockade. It seems that there is a big difference in mode of action between CUMC6335 and EGCG.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.97-106
• /
• 2007

The present study was attempted to investigate the effect of nicorandil, which is an ATP-sensitive potassium ($K_{ATP}$) channel opener, on secretion of catecholamines (CA) evoked by cholinergic stimulation and membrane depolarization from the isolated perfused rat adrenal glands. The perfusion of nicorandil ($0.3{\sim}3.0mM$) into an adrenal vein for 90 min produced relatively dose-and time-dependent inhibition in CA secretion evoked by ACh (5.32 mM), high $k^+$ (a direct membrane depolarizer, 56 mM), DMPP (a selective neuronal nicotinic receptor agonist, $100{\mu}M$ for 2 min), McN-A-343 (a selective muscarinic $M_1$ receptor agonist, $100{\mu}M$ for 4 min), Bay-K-8644 (an activator of L-type dihydropyridine $Ca^{2+}$ channels, $10{\mu}M$ for 4 min) and cyclopiazonic acid (an activator of cytoplasmic $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase, $10{\mu}M$ for 4 min). In adrenal glands simultaneously preloaded with nicorandil (1.0 mM) and glibenclamide (a nonspecific $K_{ATP}$-channel blocker, 1.0 mM), the CA secretory responses evoked by ACh, high potassium, DMPP, McN-A-343, Bay-K-8644 and cyclopiazonic acid were recovered to the considerable extent of the control release in comparison with that of nicorandil-treatment only. Taken together, the present study demonstrates that nicorandil inhibits the adrenal CA secretion in response to stimulation of cholinergic (both nicotinic and muscarinic) receptors as well as by membrane depolarization from the isolated perfused rat adrenal glands. It seems that this inhibitory effect of nicorandil may be mediated by inhibiting both $Ca^{2+}$ influx and the $Ca^{2+}$ release from intracellular store through activation of $K_{ATP}$ channels in the rat adrenomedullary chromaffin cells. These results suggest that nicorandil-sensitive $K_{ATP}$ channels may play an inhibitory role in the regulation of the rat adrenomedullary CA secretion.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
• /
• v.14 no.1_2
• /
• pp.55-62
• /
• 1978

Ban formulated the concept of 'sympathetic center' and 'parasympathetic center' in the central nervous system, and Folkow et al. reported that the electric stimulation of the posterior part of hypothalamus induced the marked liberation of catecholamines from the adrenal medulla. Tatum reported that the hyperglycemic action of picrotoxin is contributed to the cathecholamines liberation from adrenal medulla by the excitation of hypothalamus via splanchnic nervous plexus. In this paper, the relationship between the convulsive action and the hyperglycemic effect of picrotoxin was investigated, with references to the influences of several drugs related with adrenergic function and two intravenous anesthetics on the picrotoxin hyperglycemia. The results obtained were summarized as follows; 1) There was no difference between the convulsive dose(1. 5mg/kg) and the subconvulsive dose (0.75mg/kg) of picrotoxin in its hyperglycemic effect that was not affected with the phenobarbital pretreatment, but the efficacy of its hyperglycemic action was more prominent than that of strychnine. 2) The hyperglycemic effect of picrotoxin was markedly suppressed by the pretreatment of thiopental or ketamine. 3) The hyperglycemic effect was not affected by the reserpine pretreatment, but the effect was markedly suppressed by the pretreatment of iproniazid or chlorpromazine. 4) The hyperglycemic effect of picrotoxin was significantly suppressed by the pretreatment of hexamethonium, propranolol or guanethidine, and the order of those suppressing efficacy was propranolol> hexamethonium> guanethidine.