Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide enhances electrical coupling in the mouse adrenal medulla

Jacqueline Hill , Seong-Ki Lee , Prattana Samasilp , and Corey Smith

doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00119.2012

$Neuroendocrine adrenal medullary chromaffin cells receive synaptic excitation through the sympathetic splanchnic nerve to elicit catecholamine release into the circulation. Under basal sympathetic tone, splanchnic-released acetylcholine evokes chromaffin cells to fire action potentials, leading to synchronous phasic catecholamine release. Under elevated splanchnic firing, experienced under the sympathoadrenal stress response, chromaffin cells undergo desensitization to cholinergic excitation. Yet, stress evokes a persistent and elevated adrenal catecholamine release. This sustained stress-evoked release has been shown to depend on splanchnic release of a peptide transmitter, pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP). PACAP stimulates catecholamine release through a PKC-dependent pathway that is mechanistically independent of cholinergic excitation. Moreover, it has also been reported that shorter term phospho-regulation of existing gap junction channels acts to increase junctional conductance. In this study, we test if PACAP-mediated excitation upregulates cell-cell electrical coupling to enhance chromaffin cell excitability. We utilize electrophysiological recordings conducted in adrenal tissue slices to measure the effects of PACAP stimulation on cell coupling. We report that PACAP excitation increases electrical coupling and the spread of electrical excitation between adrenal chromaffin cells. Thus PACAP acts not only as a secretagogue but also evokes an electrical remodeling of the medulla, presumably to adapt to the organism's needs during acute sympathetic stress. acute stress catecholamine connexin-43 connexin-36 gap junction Copyright © 2012 the American Physiological Society « Previous | Next Article » Table of Contents This Article Published online before print May 16, 2012 , doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00119.2012 Am J Physiol Cell Physiol August 1, 2012 vol. 303 no. 3 C257-C266 » Abstract Free Full Text Free to you Full Text (PDF) Free to you All Versions of this Article: ajpcell.00119.2012v1 303/3/C257 most recent Classifications Article Services Email this article to a friend Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Download to citation manager Citing Articles Load citing article information Citing articles via Web of Science Google Scholar Articles by Hill, J. Articles by Smith, C. PubMed PubMed citation Articles by Hill, J. Articles by Smith, C. Related Content Load related web page information Current Content August 1, 2012 Alert me to new issues of Am J Physiol Cell Physiol About the Journal Calls for Papers Information for Authors Submit a Manuscript Ethical Policies AuthorChoice PubMed Central Policy Reprints and Permissions Advertising Press Copyright © 2012 the American Physiological Society Print ISSN: 0363-6143 Online ISSN: 1522-1563 var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www."); document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E")); try { var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-2924550-1"); pageTracker._trackPageview(); } catch(err) {} var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www."); document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E")); try { var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-189672-30"); pageTracker._setDomainName(".physiology.org"); pageTracker._trackPageview(); } catch(err) {}$

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Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide enhances electrical coupling in the mouse adrenal medulla

Jacqueline Hill , Seong-Ki Lee , Prattana Samasilp , and Corey Smith

Follow AJP - Cell Physiology , Volume 303 (3): C257 The American Physiological Society – Aug 1, 2012

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Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide enhances electrical coupling in the mouse adrenal medulla

Jacqueline Hill , Seong-Ki Lee , Prattana Samasilp , and Corey Smith

Follow AJP - Cell Physiology , Volume 303 (3): C257 The American Physiological Society – Aug 1, 2012

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