Previous studies showed that galanin receptors are expressed in the rat adrenal, and galanin modulates glucocorticoid secretion in this species. Hence, we investigated the expression of the various galanin receptor subtypes (GAL-R1, GAL-R2 and GAL-R3) in the human adrenocortical cells, and the possible involvement of galanin in the control of cortisol secretion. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction detected the expression of GAL-R1 (but not GAL-R2 and GAL-R3) in the inner zones of the human adrenal cortex. The galanin concentration dependently enhanced basal, but not ACTH-stimulated secretion of cortisol from dispersed inner adrenocortical cells (maximal effective concentration, 10(-8) M). The cortisol response to 10(-8) M galanin was abrogated by GAL-R1 immunoneutralization, and unaffected by GAL-R2 or GAL-R3 immunoneutralization. Galanin (10(-8) M) and ACTH (10(-9) M) enhanced cyclic-AMP production from dispersed cells, and the response was suppressed by the adenylate cyclase inhibitor SQ-22536 (10(-4) M). Galanin did not affect inositol triphosphate release, which, in contrast, was raised by angiotensin-II (10(-8) M). SQ-22536 and the protein kinase (PK)A inhibitor H-89 (10(-5) M) abolished the cortisol response to 10(-8) M galanin, while the phospholipase C inhibitor U-73122 and the PKC inhibitor calphostin-C were ineffective. Preincubation with pertussis toxin (Ptx) (0.5 microg/ml) partially inhibited the cortisol response to galanin. We conclude that galanin stimulates cortisol secretion from human inner adrenocortical cells, acting through GAL-R1 coupled to the adenylate cyclase/PKA-dependent signaling cascade via a Ptx-sensitive Galpha protein.