Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Immunohistochemical localization of oxytocin and vasopressin in the adrenal glands of rat, cow, hamster and guinea pig

  • Published:
Cell and Tissue Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The distribution of oxytocin and vasopressin in the adrenals of rat, cow, hamster and guinea pig has been studied by use of immunohistochemical techniques. In all the species studied the adrenal cortex contained both peptides; the staining in the zona glomerulosa being more intense than that in zona fasciculata or zona reticularis. The medulla, however, showed considerable species variation. In the cow, both peptides appear to be present in the adrenergic and noradrenergic cells, though staining was particularly prominent in cortical islands interspersed within the medullary tissue. In the rat, groups of medullary cells positive for both peptides were found, though it was not possible to associate these groups with particular chromaffin cell types. In the hamster oxytocin was present only in adrenaline-containing cells, whereas vasopressin was present in all medullary cells. The guinea pig medulla, which contains only adrenaline-secreting cells, was positive for both peptides. The possibilities that vasopressin and oxytocin have an autocrine or paracrine role in functioning of the adrenal gland is discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adashi EY, Hsueh AJW (1981) Direct inhibition of testicular androgen biosynthesis revealing antigonadal activity of neurohypophysial hormones. Nature 293:650–653

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ang VTY (1984) Radioimmunoassays of the hypophyseal hormones and their distribution in the central nervous system. PhD Thesis. University of London

  • Ang VTY, Jenkins JS (1984) Neurohypophysial hormones in the adrenal medulla. J Clin Endorinol Metab 58:688–691

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Balla T, Enyedi P, Spat A, Antoni F (1985) Pressor type vasopressin receptors in the adrenal cortex: properties of binding, effects of phosphoinositide metabolism and aldosterone secretion. Endocrinology 117:421–423

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bucsics A, Saria A, Lembeck F (1981) Substance P in the adrenal gland: origin and species distribution. Neuropeptides 1:329–341

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Corder R, Mason DFJ, Perrett D, Lowry PJ, Clement-Jones V, Linton EA, Besser GM, Rees LH (1982) Simultaneous release of neurotensin, somatostatin, enkephalins and catecholamines from perfused cat adrenal glands. Neuropeptides 3:9–17

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Coupland RE (1965a) The natural history of the chromaffin cell. London, Longmans

    Google Scholar 

  • Coupland RE (1965b) Electron microscopic observations on the structure of the rat adrenal medulla. I The ultrastructure and organisation of chromaffin cells in the normal adrenal medulla. J Anat 99:231–235

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eiden LE, Eskay RL, Scott J, Pollard H, Hotchkiss AJ (1983) Primary cultures of bovine chromaffin cells synthesise and secrete vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). Life Sci 33:687–693

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eiden LE, Giraud P, Dave JR, Hotchkiss AJ, Affolter H-U (1984) Nicotinic receptor stimulation activates enkephalin release and biosynthesis in adrenal chromaffin cells. Nature 312:661–663

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fields PhA, Eldridge RK, Fuchs A-R, Roberts RF, Fields MJ (1983) Human placental and bovine corpora luteal oxytocin. Endocrinology 112:1544–1546

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Flint APF, Sheldrick EL (1983) Evidence for a systemic role for ovarian oxytocin in luteal regressive sheep. J Reprod Fertil 67:215–225

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gauquelin G, Geelen G, Louis F, Allevard AM, Meunier C, Cuisinaud G, Benjanet S, Seidah NG, Chretien M, Legros JJ, Gharib C (1983) Presence of vasopressin oxytocin and neurophysin in the retina of mammals, effect of light and darkness, comparison with the neuropeptide content of the neurohypophysis and the pineal gland. Peptides 4:509–515

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goedert M, Reynolds GP, Emson PC (1983) Neurotensin in the adrenal medulla. Neurosci Lett 35:155–160

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gomori G (1946) Staining of chromaffin tissue. Am J Clin Pathol 16:115–117

    Google Scholar 

  • Grynspan-Winograd O (1974) Adrenaline and nor-adrenaline cells in the adrenal medulla of the hamster: a morphological study of their innervation. J Neurocytol 3:341–361

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guldenaar SEF, Wathes DC, Pickering BT (1984) Immunocytochemical evidence for the presence of oxytocin and neurophysin in large cells of the bovine corpus luteum. Cell Tissue Res 237:349–352

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hinson JP, Vinson GP, Whitehouse BJ, Porter ID (1985) The actions of oxytocin and vasopressin on the isolated perfused rat adrenal in situ. J Endocrinol 107:[Suppl] 38

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins JS, Ang VTY, Hawthorn J, Rossor MN, Iverson LL (1984) Vasopressin, oxytocin and neurophysins in the human brain and spinal cord. Brain Res 291:111–117

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kasson G, Meidan R, Hsueh AJW (1984) Identification of vasopressin-like substances in the rat testis. Proc VIIth Int Cong Endocrinol Quebec, July 1–7. Elsevier, Amsterdam p 938

    Google Scholar 

  • Khan Dawood FS, Marut EL, Dawood MY (1984) Oxytocin in the corpus luteum of the cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis). Endocrinology 115:570–574

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kondo H, Kuramoto H, Iwanaga T (1984) Immunohistochemical study on met-enkephalin-arg-gly-lue like immunoreactive nerve fibres in the rat adrenal medulla. Brain Res 310:371–375

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leboulanger F, Charnay Y, Dubois P-M, Rossier J, Coy DH, Pelletier G, Vaudry H (1984) Coexistence de neuropeptides et de catecholamines dans la surrenale. Ann Endocrinol (Paris) 45:217–227

    Google Scholar 

  • Lemaire S, Day R, Dumont M, Chouinard L, Calvert R (1984) Dynorphin and enkephalins in adrenal paraneurones. Opiates in the adrenal medulla. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 62:484–492

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis RV, Micanovic R, Ray P, Blacher R, Stern A (1984) Adrenal medullary chromaffin granule peptides: two major ovine peptides and their precursor. Arch Biochem Biophys 230:154–157

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Linnoila RI, Diaugustine RP, Hervonen A, Miller RJ (1980) Distribution of Met5 and Leu5 enkephalin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and substance P like immunoreactivities in human adrenal gland. Neuroscience 5:2249–2259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Livett BG, Day R, Elde RP, Howe PRC (1982) Co-storage of enkephalins and adrenaline in the bovine adrenal medulla. Neuroscience 7:1323–1332

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lundberg JM, Rokaeus A, Hokfelt T, Rosell S, Brown M, Goldstein M (1982) Neurotensin-like immunoreactivity in the preganglionic nerves and in the adrenal medulla of the cat. Acta Physiol Scand 114:153–155

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Makino T, Nakazawa K, Ishii K, Haginawa I, Nakayama A, Iizuka R (1983) Detection of immunoreactive human placental oxytocin and its contractile effect on the uterine muscle. Endocrinol Jpn 30:389–395

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McKenzie JC, Tanaka I, Misono KS, Inagami T (1985) Immunocytochemical localization of atrial naturetic factor in the kidney, adrenal medulla, pituitary and atrium of rat. J Histochem Cytochem 33:828–832

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Michel-Bechet M, Cotte G, Haon A-M (1963) Etude ultrastructurale de la medullo-surrenale du hamster. J Microsc 2:449–460

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicholson HD, Swann RW, Burford GD, Wathes DC, Porter DG, Pickering BT (1984) Identification of oxytocin and vasopressin in the testes and adrenal tissue. Regul Pept 8:1141–1146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nussey SS, Ang VTY, Jenkins JS, Chowdrey HS, Bisset GW (1984) Brattleboro rat adrenal contains vasopressin. Nature 310:64–66

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nussey SS, Prysor-Jones RA, Ang VTY, Jenkins JS (1986) Vasopressin and oxytocin modulate catecholamine secretion by isolated adrenal medulla cells. J Endocrinol 108:[Suppl] 121

    Google Scholar 

  • Payet N, Deziel Y, Lehoux JG (1984) Vasopressin: A potent growth factor in adrenal zona glomerulosa cells in culture. J Steroid Biochem 20:449

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pelto-Huikko M, Salminen T, Hervonen A (1985) Localization of enkephalins in adrenaline cells and the nerves innervating adrenaline cells in rat adrenal medulla. Histochemistry 82:377–383

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pohorecky LA, Wurtman RJ (1971) Adrenocortical control of epinephrine synthesis. Pharmacol Rev 23:1–35

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ravid R, Oosterbaan HP, Hansen BL, Swaab DF (1986) Localisation of oxytocin. vasopressin and parts of precursors in the human neonatal adrenal. Histochemistry 84:401–407

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Roisin MP, Artola A, Henry JP, Rossier J (1983) Enkephalins are associated with adrenergic granules in bovine adrenal medulla. Neuroscience 10:83–88

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schulteberg M, Lundberg JM, Hokfelt T, Terenius L, Brandt J, Elde RP, Goldstein M (1978) Enkephalin like immunoreactivity in gland cells and nerve terminals of the adrenal medulla. Neuroscience 3:1169–1186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sequira RP, Chaiken IM (1984) Occurrence of oxytocin, vasopressin and neurophysins in peripheral nerves. Proc VIIth Int Congr Endocrinol, Quebec July 1–7, Elsevier, Amsterdam, p 1320

    Google Scholar 

  • Suda T, Tomori N, Tozawa F, Demura H, Shizume K, Mouri T, Miura Y, Sasano N (1984) Immunoreactive corticotrophin and corticotrophin-releasing factor in human hypothalamus, adrenal, lung cancer and pheochromocytoma. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 58:919–924

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Viveros OH, Dilberto EJ Jr, Hazum E, Chang K-J (1979) Opiate like materials in the adrenal medulla: evidence for storage and secretion with catecholamines. Mol Pharmacol 16:1101–1108

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wathes DC, Swann RW (1982) Is oxytocin an ovarian hormone? Nature 297:225–227

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Watkins WB (1983) Immunohistochemical localization of a neurophysin and oxytocin in the sheep corpora lutea. Neuropeptides 7:51–54

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weindl A, Sofroniew M (1985) Neuroanatomical pathways related to vasopressin. In: Gunten D, Pfaff D (eds) Current topics in neuroendocrinology: Neurobiology of vasopressin. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 137–196

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine II, St. George's Hospital Medical School, London, UK

    J. Hawthorn, S. S. Nussey & J. S. Jenkins

  2. Department of Physiology, St. George's Hospital Medical School, London, UK

    J. R. Henderson

Authors
  1. J. Hawthorn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. S. Nussey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. R. Henderson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J. S. Jenkins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hawthorn, J., Nussey, S.S., Henderson, J.R. et al. Immunohistochemical localization of oxytocin and vasopressin in the adrenal glands of rat, cow, hamster and guinea pig. Cell Tissue Res. 250, 1–6 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00214646

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00214646

Key words

Search

Navigation