Horm Metab Res 1999; 31(7): 399-401
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-978762
Originals Basic

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Effects of Bilateral Olfactory Bulbectomy on the Anterior Pituitary Corticotropic Cell Activity in Male Rats

A. Marcilhac, G. Anglade, F. Hery, P. Siaud
  • Neuroendocrinology Laboratory, INSERM U501, University of Medicine, Marseille, France
Further Information

Publication History

1998

1999

Publication Date:
20 April 2007 (online)

Bilateral olfactory bulbectomy (OB) has drastic biochemical and behavioral effects and is often associated with an increase in plasma corticosterone concentrations. This experiment examined the effects of OB on adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and corticosterone release under basal and stress conditions and on proopiomelanocortin (POMC) gene expression. Bulbectomy potentiated hypophysal ACTH and adrenal corticosterone release induced by ether stress but had no effect on ACTH release under basal conditions, despite a significant increase of circulating corticosterone. POMC gene expression was stronger (+ 60%) in OB rats than in sham-operated rats. These results suggest that olfactory bulbectomy substantially altered the negative feed-back exerted by glucocorticoids on anterior pituitary corticotropic cells in the male rat.