1. Adipocytes isolated from rats 6-9 days after adrenalectomy had significantly increased sensitivity to insulin action against noradrenaline-stimulated lipolysis. In the presence of adenosine deaminase there was no significant difference in insulin sensitivity between cells from adrenalectomized and sham-operated rats. 2. Adipocytes from adrenalectomized rats had decreased lipolytic responses ...

Stress is among the strongest signals promoting neuroplasticity: Stress signals, indicating real or perceived danger, lead to alterations of neuronal function and often structure, designed to adapt to the changed conditions and promote survival. Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) is expressed and released in several types of neuronal populations that are involved in cognition, emotion and the...

The presence of corticotropin-releasing factor-like material in the intermaxillary glands was studied by immunocytochemical techniques during the metamorphosis of Bufo arenarum. The intermaxillary glands appeared at stage XV (midprometamorphosis) with CRF-like material slightly immunoreactive. These glands are located posterior to the premaxillae and between the nasal capsules in the roof of th...

Obesity has become one of the leading causes of illness and mortality in the developed world. Preclinical and clinical data provide compelling evidence for ghrelin as a relevant regulator of appetite, food intake, and energy homeostasis. In addition, ghrelin has recently emerged as one of the major contributing factors to reward-driven feeding that can override the state of satiation. The corti...

To determine the role of glucocorticoids in the appearance of the facilitatory effect of stress on the ACTH response to a subsequent stress, sham-operated (Sham) rats and rats adrenalectomized (ADX) and supplemented with 50 mg/l corticosterone (B) in the drinking saline (ADX + B) were subjected to 1 min of immobilization stress (Imo) four consecutive times with an interstressor interval of 90 m...

ACTH-releasing potency of a purified hypothalamic CRF of pig origin was examined by use of the intrapituitary microinjection method. A good log doseresponse relationship was obtained in the dosage range from 12.5 to 50 ng injected per one anterior pituitary lobe. Two dose factorial analysis showed that the difference in response between purified CRF and median eminence extract of the rat at cor...

A sensitive cell-free assay was developed for the analysis of corticotropin-dependent factors that stimulate the rate-limiting step of adrenal steroidogenesis. In this assay adrenal post-mitochondrial supernates from corticotropin-stimulated rats caused a 10- to 100-fold increase in the de novo synthesis of pregnenolone and progesterone. A similar stimulation was observed by corresponding fract...

Objective: To evaluate the role of calcium channel blockers and their mechanisms of action on acute inflammation of rat paw. Material and Methods: The study was conducted using carrageenan-induced rat paw inflammation model. Two different doses of nifedipine and verapamil (25 and 400 μg/kg, i.p.) were used. Edema was assessed by calculating the volume changes and by extravasation of Evans blue ...

The effects of stress on energy balance and the involvement of the neuropeptide corticotropin releasing factor in modulating the anorexia of stress and sympathetic nervous system tone are well recognized. Currently, studies centered on the roles of the more recently described members of this family of ligands, the urocortins, and their preferred receptor, the corticotropin releasing factor type...

Aicardi’s syndrome consists of infantile spasms, defects of the corpus callosum, dorsal vertebral anomalies, and chorioretinal lacunar defects. The etiology is, as yet, unknown. The most likely cause, however, is an X-linked mutational event that is lethal in males. This paper presents a girl 3 years 8 months old with Aicardi's syndrome who received corticotropin therapy for intractable seizure...