Endocrinology, Vol 136, 5260-5265, Copyright © 1995 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

D2-like dopamine receptor mediates dopaminergic or gamma-aminobutyric acidergic inhibition of melanotropin-releasing hormone release from the pars intermedia in frogs (Rana nigromaculata)

Y Tonosaki, K Nishiyama, T Honda, N Ozaki and Y Sugiura
Department of Anatomy, Fukushima Medical College, Japan.

Frogs can adapt to their background by making their skin color lighter or darker as necessary, and this adaptation is regulated by MSH. We investigated the mechanism inhibiting MSH release from the pars intermedia (PI) of the pituitary gland in frogs (Rana nigromaculata) by ultrastructural immunohistochemistry and bioassay using the melanophore index. The PI contained fibers immunoreactive for tyrosine hydroxylase, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and neuropeptide Y, which made synaptic contacts with MSH cells. The synapses had an asymmetric profile with small round and large-cored synaptic vesicles. The skin of frogs adapted to a white background became darker after administration of 6- hydroxydopamine or autografting of the PI into the anterior chamber of the eye. The skin of autografted frogs became lighter after the administration of dopamine or GABA into the anterior chamber. Lightening of skin color with dopamine was inhibited by a D2 receptor antagonist (sulpiride), and the effect of GABA was blocked by both sulpiride and a GABAA receptor antagonist (bicuculline). These results indicate that MSH release from the PI in frogs may be inhibited by dopaminergic nerves via the D2-like receptor and by GABAergic nerves via the D2-like and GABAA receptors.