The Effects of Long-Term Exposure to Moderate Heat on Rat Pituitary ACTH Cells: Histological and Hormonal Study
2022
Authors:
Čukuranović Kokoris, JovanaAjdžanović, Vladimir
Pendovski, Lazo
Ristić, Nataša
Milošević, Verica
Dovenska, Monika
Popovska-Perčinić, Florina
Document Type:
Article (Published version)
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract:
Global warming causes an increased ambient temperature and prolonged heatwaves during the summer, which represent stressogenic factors affecting the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis in mammals. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of long-term (7-60 days) exposure to moderately elevated ambient temperature (35 ± 1°C) on the histological aspect and secretory ability of pituitary adrenocorticotropic (ACTH) cells, as well as on the corticosterone output, in adult rats. Stereological parameters of ACTH cells were estimated upon immunohistochemistry. The blood concentrations of ACTH and corticosterone were determined by immunoassays. The volume of ACTH cells in rats exposed to moderately high temperature for 7, 14, 21, 30 and 60 days decreased (p<0.05) by 18.1%, 14.5%, 13.5%, 8.6% and 14.2% respectively, compared to the same parameter in the controls. The volume density of ACTH cells in the groups exposed to elevated temperature for 7, 14, 21, 30 and 60 days decreased (p<0.05) by 40.0%, 33.3%, 26.7%, 13.3% and 26.7% respectively, in comparison with control rats. The plasma concentration of ACTH varied differently (p<0.05) with the duration of exposure to the elevated temperature. The serum concentration of corticosterone was decreased (p<0.05) by 54.9%, 24.4%, 29.9%, 21.1% and 24.4% in groups subjected to moderately high temperature for 7, 14, 21, 30 and 60 days respectively, all compared to the control value. Despite some signs of functional recovery of ACTH cells during the treatment, the impression is that the long-term character of this stressor overcomes the capacity of the HPA axis for resistance.
Keywords:
ACTH cells; Elevated temperature; Pituitary; Rats; StereologySource:
Acta Veterinaria, 2022, 72, 1, 1-15Funding / projects:
- Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia, institutional funding - 200007 (University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research 'Siniša Stanković') (RS-MESTD-inst-2020-200007)
DOI: 10.2478/acve-2022-0001
ISSN: 0567-8315
WoS: 000778291600001
Scopus: 2-s2.0-85128642190
URI
https://www.sciendo.com/article/10.2478/acve-2022-0001http://radar.ibiss.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/4965