1,2-Didecanoylglycerol and phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate enhance anterior pituitary hormone secretion in vitro.

Experiments were designed to evaluate the role of activators of protein kinase C, such as 1,2-diacylglycerol and phorbol esters, on the release of all the anterior pituitary (AP) hormones in vitro. Dispersed rat AP cells were incubated in the presence of 1,2-didecanoylglycerol (DiC10), a synthetic diacylglycerol, or phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu), a tumor-promoting phorbol ester, at different concentrations and for varying periods of time. ACTH and beta-endorphin (beta-End) secretion were enhanced by DiC10 in a concentration-dependent manner, with a minimal effective concentration of 5 microM. PDBu at 5 nM produced a significant release of both ACTH and beta-End. The effect of DiC10 and PDBu was time dependent, with maximal responses occurring at 15-30 min for DiC10 and 30-60 min for PDBu. Release of GH was also enhanced significantly by DiC10 and PDBu, with minimal effective concentrations of 1 microM and 1 nM, respectively. Maximal release of GH was already attained within 15 min with DiC10 or 60 min with PDBu. In additional experiments, the effects of DiC10 and PDBu on secretion of LH, FSH, PRL, and TSH were evaluated. The results indicate that 5-25 microM DiC10 produced a concentration-dependent release of each of those hormones, and that 5 microM was the minimal effective concentration in every case. Nearly maximal stimulation was achieved within 15 min for each hormone. PDBu (50 nM) significantly enhanced LH, FSH, PRL, and TSH release within 30 min. Although qualitatively all hormones were similarly stimulated, both with respect to time and concentration, some quantitative differences were observed. ACTH and beta-End release were enhanced 100% by DiC10 and 300% by PDBu, whereas the increase in other hormones was of a lesser magnitude. The present study indicates that two specific stimulators of protein kinase C, diacylglycerol and phorbol ester, can enhance secretion of all AP hormones in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. This suggests that formation of endogenous 1,2-diacylglycerol may represent a physiological intracellular messenger in the events leading to AP peptide hormone release.