Glucocorticoid modulation of corticotropin-releasing factor desensitization in cultured rat anterior pituitary cells

The ability of ovine corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) to stimulate both ACTH release and intracellular cAMP accumulation is rapidly and reversibly desensitized when rat anterior pituitary cells are cultured in the absence of added glucocorticoids. Since this desensitization has not been readily apparent in vivo, where initial CRF exposure results in high levels of ambient glucocorticoids, we examined the effect of glucocorticoids on the desensitization process in vitro. Rat anterior pituitary cells were cultured for 3-5 days in the absence of added steroid hormones. Dexamethasone was then added to some culture wells 24 h before the desensitization experiment began. Desensitization of CRF was achieved by preincubating the cells for 4 h with varying concentrations (10(-11)-10(-7) M) of ovine CRF, washing the cells with medium alone, and then reexposing the cells to CRF. In the absence of glucocorticoid, the ED50 for CRF desensitization (the preincubation dose causing 50% desensitization of subsequent ACTH release) was 3 X 10(-10) M, but cells that had been preexposed to dexamethasone desensitized less readily. With concentrations of dexamethasone of 10(-8) M or greater, no desensitization occurred. When cells were incubated in the absence of added glucocorticoids, CRF-stimulated intracellular cAMP accumulation was diminished by prior exposure to CRF. No decrease in intracellular cAMP accumulation was seen in those cells that had been preincubated with dexamethasone, however. Similar changes in CRF desensitization of ACTH release were observed when cells were incubated with corticosterone, but not with 10(-8) M testosterone, progesterone, aldosterone, or estradiol. These data demonstrate that glucocorticoids profoundly alter the development of CRF desensitization in vitro and suggest that high ambient glucocorticoid concentrations prevent the development of substantial CRF desensitization in vivo.