HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (16) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Clarke, D Articles by McKenna, T J Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Clarke, D Articles by McKenna, T J

This study examines the androgen-stimulating properties of pro-opiomelanocortin-derived peptides, ACTH, β-endorphin (β-End) and joining peptide (JP). Ten different cell suspensions were prepared from ten human adrenal glands. ACTH and JP stimulated cortisol, androstenedione (4) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) production (P<0·05); β-End stimulated only 4 and DHEA production. β-End brought about significant increases in the 4 or DHEA to cortisol ratios. The addition of β-End (10^–10 M) suppressed ACTH-stimulated cortisol production from 7573 ± 2960 to 5994 ± 2654 pmol/10⁶ cells (means ± S.E.M.; P<0·05). The addition of β-End did not affect ACTH-stimulated 4 production (210 ± 88 and 236 ± 105 pmol/10⁶ cells). JP (10^–10 M) inhibited ACTH-stimulated cortisol production so that the mean values fell to 5186 ± 2588 and also inhibited DHEA production, from 240 ± 48 to 180 ± 33 pmol/10⁶ cells. These results suggest that the relative production of androgen to cortisol is greater in response to β-End and JP than in response to ACTH. If blood levels of these peptides rise to herald adrenarche as reported for β-End, suppression of cortisol production may result in an increase in ACTH to correct cortisol levels resulting in an increase in 4 and DHEA levels. This may explain the occurrence of increasing androgen levels at adrenarche.

Journal of Endocrinology (1996) 151, 301–307

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L. Marinelli, E. Trevisi, L. Da Dalt, M. Merlo, G. Bertoni, and G. Gabai Dehydroepiandrosterone secretion in dairy cattle is episodic and unaffected by ACTH stimulation J. Endocrinol., September 1, 2007; 194(3): 627 - 635. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Remer and F. Manz Role of Nutritional Status in the Regulation of Adrenarche J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., November 1, 1999; 84(11): 3936 - 3944. [Abstract] [Full Text]