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Diabetes-related changes in brain beta adrenoreceptors in rats as assessed by quantitative autoradiography: relationship to hypothalamic norepinephrine metabolism and pituitary-gonadal hormone secretion

MS Bitar and EB DeSouza

Department of Physiological Sciences, Pennsylvania College of Podiatric Medicine, Philadelphia.

Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes produced significant and selective alterations in brain beta adrenoreceptor subtypes, norepinephrine (NE) metabolism and pituitary-testicular hormone in male rats. The densities of beta-1 but not beta-2 adrenoreceptors were increased in hypothalamus (anterior and lateral nuclei), thalamus (ventral posterior nucleus) and amygdala (basolateral nucleus) of the STZ diabetic rats. In contrast, a decrease in the rate of metabolism of NE (estimated by the concentration of the NE metabolite, 3-methoxy-4- hydroxyphenylglycol) was observed in these STZ-treated animals. Serum concentrations of luteinizing hormone and testosterone were lower in the STZ diabetic rats. Pretreatment of rats with nicotinamide prevented the induction of hyperglycemia, upregulation of brain beta-1 adrenoreceptors, decreases in NE metabolism and reduction in serum levels of luteinizing hormone and testosterone seen in STZ-treated rats. These data suggest that derangements in the hypothalamic- pituitary-testicular axis seen in uncontrolled diabetes may be secondary to decreases in NE metabolism and compensatory upregulation of beta-1 adrenoreceptors in brain.

Volume 254, Issue 3, pp. 781-785, 09/01/1990
Copyright © 1990 by American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics






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Copyright © 1990 by the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.