Abstract

5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) stimulates corticosteroid secretion from adrenal cells through activation of 5-HT4 receptors positively coupled to adenylyl-cyclase. In the present study, we investigated in frog adrenocortical cells the effect of 5-HT4 receptor agonists on cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) and determined the sequence of events associated with 5-HT4 receptor agonist zacopride (10[-8] to 10[-5]M each in the vicinity of cultured adrenocortical cells caused a dose-dependent increase in [Ca2+]i. Preincubation of the cells with the selective 5-HT4 receptor antagonist [1-[2-(methylsulfonylamino)ethyl]-4- piperidinyl]methyl-1-methyl-1H-indole-3-carboxylate maleate totally blocked the 5-HT-induced stimulation of [Ca2+]i. Chelation of extracellular calcium with ethylene glycol bis (beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N', N'-tetraacetic acid (10 MM) suppressed the stimulatory effect of 5-HT on [Ca2+]i. Conversely, thapsigargin, an inhibitor of calcium ATPase activity, had no effect on the [Ca2+]i rise. The calcium influx induced by 5-HT4 receptor agonists was not affected by nifedipine and omega-conotoxin GVIA but was totally blocked by pimozide, a T-type calcium channel antagonist. The [Ca2+]i response to zacopride was potentiated by the phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine and markedly reduced by the protein kinase A inhibitor adenosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphorothioate. We studied in perifused frog adrenal slices the involvement of [Ca2+]i rise and cAMP formation in the mechanism of action of 5-HT4 receptor agonists. Zacopride-induced steroidogenesis was significantly reduced in the presence of adenosine-3'5'-cyclic monophosphorothioate or after suppression of calcium in the perifusion medium. The stimulatory effect of zacopride on corticosteroid secretion was not affected by nifedipine and omega-conotoxin GVIA but was significantly inhibited by pimozide. Taken together, these data indicate that activation of 5-HT4 receptors in adrenocortical cells causes stimulation of adenylyl cyclase and subsequently increases calcium influx through a T-type calcium channel. Both the increased in cAMP formation and the calcium rise are involved in the stimulatory effect of 5-HT on corticosteroid secretion.