Cerebellin stimulates the secretory activity of the rat adrenal gland: in vitro and in vivo studies

Cerebellin is a 16-aminoacid peptide widely distributed in the central nervous system, where it exerts neuromodulatory functions. Cerebellin is contained in human adrenal medulla, and it has been recently demonstrated that cerebellin elicits catecholamine release by human adrenal in vitro. Aim of the present study was to ascertain whether cerebellin affects adrenal function in the rat. Cerebellin concentration-dependently (from 10–9 to 10–7 M) increased norepinephrine (but not epinephrine) and cyclic-AMP production by adrenomedullary tissue in vitro. The norepinephrine response to 10–7 M cerebellin was blocked by the protein kinase (PK) A inhibitor H-89, but not by the phospholipase C inhibitor U-73122 or the PKC inhibitor calphostin-C. Cerebellin did not affect aldosterone and corticosterone secretion of dispersed zona glomerulosa and zona fasciculata-reticularis adrenocortical cells. Cerebellin concentration-dependently (from 10–8 to 10–7 M) enhanced norepinephrine release by in situ perfused rat adrenals. Cerebellin (10–7 M) also elicited a significant rise in aldosterone and corticosterone output, and this effect was annulled by either the b1-adrenoceptor antagonist l-alprenolol or H-89. Collectively, the present findings allow us to conclude that cerebellin 1) directly stimulates norepinephrine release via the adenylate cyclase/PKA-dependent signaling pathway; and 2) indirectly enhances adrenocortical secretion in vivo, through a paracrine mechanism involving medullary catecholamine release.