Effects of dexamethasone on TRH and TRH precursor peptide (Lys-Arg-Gln-His-Pro-Gly-Arg-Arg) levels in various rat organs

Abstract

The effect of an acute dexamethasone administration on thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) and TRH precursor peptide (Lys-Arg-Gln-His-Pro-Gly-Arg-Arg) (p-8) levels in various rat organs has been studied. Rats were injected i.p. with 25 micrograms of dexamethasone/100 g body weight (group A), 500 micrograms of dexamethasone/100 g body weight (group B) or saline (group C). The rats were serially decapitated after the injection. TRH and p-8 levels in the hypothalamus, cerebrum, cerebellum and brain stem, stomach and eye and plasma TRH and thyrotropin (TSH) levels were measured by individual radioimmunoassays. P-8 levels in the hypothalamus decreased significantly in both group A and B at 1-4 hours after the injection, and then returned to pretreated levels at 24 hours after the injection. TRH levels in the hypothalamus increased significantly in both group A and group B at 1-4 hours after dexamethasone injection. No changes in p-8 and TRH levels were observed in other organs. In group A, plasma TRH levels tended to decrease at 1-2 hours, then to increase at 3 hours. In group B, plasma TRH levels decreased 1-4 hours after the dexamethasone injection, then increased at 24 hours. The plasma TSH levels decreased significantly at 1-4 hours in group A and group B, returned to pretreatment levels at 24 hours in group A, and increased significantly in group B at 24 hours after dexamethasone injection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)