Effect of Histamine Depletion on Circadian Variations of Corticotropin and Corticosterone in Rats

Abstract

The effects of cerebral histamine depletion induced by α-fluoromethylhistidine (FMH) on corticotropin (ACTH) and corticosterone secretions were examined. Neither acute nor chronic FMH treatment altered the corticoadrenal responses to three types of stress: transposition, immobilization and water immersion. And exposure to stress did not affect the hypothalamic content of histamine. However, chronic intracerebral treatment with FMH had a significant effect on the circadian rhythm of the plasma corticosterone (CS) level in rats. Namely, it caused a marked attenuation of the amplitude of the peaks of the CS level resulting in an almost arrythmic state. The maximum differences between FMH treated and untreated groups were seen at 8.00 and 20.00 h, the times when the illumination condition changed (light onset 8.00 h). This treatment with FMH also had a similar effect on the plasma ACTH concentration; namely the plasma ACTH level in the saline-treated group was lower than that of the FMH-treated group at light onset and higher than the latter at dark onset, but was similar to the latter at other sampling points. These results indicate the histaminergic modulation of the circadian rhythm of hormonal secretion of the adrenal cortex and show that this phenomenon is mediated through the central nervous system by an influence on the rhythm of hypophyseal ACTH secretion possibly through alteration in the concentration of corticotropin-releasing factor.

Involvement of Histamine in the Mediation of the Stress-Induced Release of Alpha-Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone in Male Rats

“…We found that a-FM H, which is a specific inhibitor o f neu ronal HA synthesis [14,15], reduced the stress-induced release o f ACTH and a-M SH in male rats but had no effect on the basal secretion o f the two hormones. It has earlier been shown that depletion o f brain HA by a-FM H decreased the basal plasma corticosterone level in young and old male rats [19], and that a-FM H had a significant effect on the circadian rhythm o f ACTH and corticosterone secretion in female rats [20]. However, it has also been reported that a-FM H did not inlluence the stress-stimulated plasma corticosterone level in female rats [20] or plasma ACTH bioactivity in male rats [21].…”

“…It has earlier been shown that depletion o f brain HA by a-FM H decreased the basal plasma corticosterone level in young and old male rats [19], and that a-FM H had a significant effect on the circadian rhythm o f ACTH and corticosterone secretion in female rats [20]. However, it has also been reported that a-FM H did not inlluence the stress-stimulated plasma corticosterone level in female rats [20] or plasma ACTH bioactivity in male rats [21]. The discrepancies between these studies are difficult to explain since almost the same time schedule and the same doses of a-FM H were used.…”

Possible use of a H3R antagonist for the management of nonmotor symptoms in the Q175 mouse model of Huntington's disease

“…Inhibition of HA synthesis disrupts the circadian rhythms of locomotor activity, sleep, and corticosterone release (Itowi et al. , , ) and histamine‐1 receptor knockout (KO) mice exhibit disruption of the circadian rhythms with decreased activity during the active phase (Inoue et al. ; Barbier and Bradbury ).…”

“…There is strong evidence that HA can phase-shift the circadian neural activity rhythms in rodent SCN slices (Cote and Harrington 1993;Meyer et al 1998;Biello 2009;Kim et al 2015). Inhibition of HA synthesis disrupts the circadian rhythms of locomotor activity, sleep, and corticosterone release (Itowi et al 1989(Itowi et al , 1990(Itowi et al , 1991 and histamine-1 receptor knockout (KO) mice exhibit disruption of the circadian rhythms with decreased activity during the active phase (Inoue et al 1996;Barbier and Bradbury 2007). More recent work has found that the H3R KO exhibits substantially reduced locomotor activity rhythms (Rozov et al 2015) without a change in the peak/trough expression of core clock genes (Gondard et al 2013;Rozov et al 2015).…”

Neuronal histaminergic system in aging and age-related neurodegenerative disorders

“…The central circadian pacemaker is the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). In rodents, chronic depletion of histamine results in an abolishment of the circadian rhythmicity of cortisol (Itowi et al, 1989). The influence of histamine on circadian rhythms is further illustrated by the observation that the TMN and SCN are reciprocally connected.…”