Neurochemical responses of mice to ACTH and lysine vasopressin.

Subcutaneous administration of ACTH 1-24 to mice increased the incorporation of [3H]lysine into brain and liver proteins, an effect which resembled that due to footshock. Corticosterone administration did not mimic these effects. ACTH 4-10 increased the [3H]lysine incorporation into brain or liver. These results are consistent with ACTH mediating the effects of footshock. However, dexamethasone decreased the brain responses to both footshock and ACTH, but while the liver response to ACTH was blocked, the footshock response was only diminished. This suggests a neural component in the response of the liver and possibly the brain. Intraventricular administration of ACTH 1-24 or ACTH 4-10 (D-phe), but not ACTH 4-10, increased [3H]lysine incorporation into brain protein. These neurochemical responses parallelled a distinctive pattern of behavior characterized by stretching, yawning and excessive grooming. Treatment for 3 days with long-acting preparations of ACTH 4-10, ACTH 4-10 (D-phe) or ACTH 1-24 increased the conversion of [3H]tyrosine into dopamine but not norepinephrine, alpha-MSH, beta-MSH or LVP had no such effect. Similar treatment with ACTH 4-10 or ACTH 1-24 increased striatal tyrosine hydroxylase activity measured in vitro, but did not significantly alter the enzyme activity from other brain regions. We conclude that ACTH peptides can stimulate protein and dopamine metabolism in mouse brain and that LVP has no such effects.