Osmotic stimulation affects neurohypophysial corticotropin releasing factor-41 content: effect of dexamethasone

In this study we examined the effects of 2% saline loading (S), partial restriction of water consumption (R) or a combination of S or R with dexamethasone (DEX) treatment for 14 days on corticotropin releasing factor (CRF)-41 content of the neurointermediate lobe (NIL) and supraoptic nuclei (SON) of male Wistar rats. Arginine vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OXY) contents of the NIL and SON were also assayed as well as plasma corticosterone, ACTH, [Na+] and [Cl-] concentrations. S or R for 14 days resulted in an increase in CRF-41 content and a concomitant drop in AVP and OXY contents of the NIL. Dexamethasone treatment enhanced the effect of S but not of R on NIL CRF-41 content. Dexamethasone treatment abolished the decrease in the AVP content and partially reversed the decrease in the OXY content of the NIL in response to S but not in response to R. No changes were observed in CRF-41, AVP and OXY content of the SON. Unstressed plasma corticosterone concentrations were not changed in S rats but were elevated in R rats; DEX did not prevent this elevation. Plasma ACTH concentrations were low in all groups examined. Plasma [Na+] and [Cl-] increased in response to both S and R. Increases in [Na+] and [Cl-] evoked by S but not R were prevented by DEX treatment. The results show that in the NIL, osmotic stimulation decreases AVP and OXY content, while it increases the CRF-41 content.