Secretion of pro-opiocortin peptides from isolated perfused rat pars intermedia cells

The perfused, isolated, pituitary cell column was used to measure the release of alpha-melanotropin (alpha-MSH)-like immunoreactivity (LI), carboxyl terminal corticotropin (C-ACTH)-LI, gamma-lipotropin (gamma-LPH)-LI, alpha-endorphin-LI, beta-endorphin-LI and amino-terminal pro-opiocortin (N-POC)-LI from rat pars intermedia (PI) cells. Concomitant secretion of all PI peptides was observed during basal release and in response to all applied stimuli. Dopamine (DA) caused a dose-dependent (10(-9)-10(-5) M) simultaneous inhibition of peptide release which was antagonised by haloperidol. Isoprenaline stimulated the release of PI peptides in a parallel, dose-related (10(-10)-10(-6) M) manner and was blocked by propranolol. Stimulation of peptide secretion caused by low concentrations (10(-8) M), of adrenaline (AD) and noradrenaline (NA) changed to inhibition at high concentrations (10(-5) M) whereas intermediate concentrations (10(-6), 10(-7) M) possessed both inhibitory and excitatory effects. A 45 mM solution of K+ ions stimulated the release of PI peptides and both the K+-stimulated secretion and basal secretion were Ca++-dependent. MSH-release-inhibiting factor (MIF) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) failed to alter peptide secretion from the perfused PI cells. We conclude that pro-opiocortin (POC) peptides are released concomitantly from rat PI cells and that biogenic amines are involved in their release.