Adrenomedullin (ADM) is a potent hypotensive peptide, which is produced during sepsis and ischemia. We demonstrate here that hypoxia induced a time-dependent increase of both ADM mRNA and protein expressions in cultured astrocytes and endothelial cells from rat brain microvessels. Gene reporter analyses showed a 2-fold increase in ADM gene transcription which was suppressed when the ADM promoter was deleted of its hypoxia responsive element. Hypoxia increased 7-fold the stability of pre-formed ADM mRNAs. Rat brain microvessels expressed mRNAs coding for the different putative ADM receptors but they did not respond to exogenous ADM and calcitonin gene-related peptide by the formation of cAMP. In contrast, ADM and calcitonin gene-related peptide increased the formation of cAMP in astrocytes and their actions were potentiated about 2-fold after hypoxia. Messenger RNA species coding for three putative ADM receptors (the L1 orphan receptor, RDC-1, and calcitonin receptor-like receptor) and accessory proteins (receptor-activity modifying proteins) were present in astrocytes. Hypoxia selectively up-regulated expression of RDC-1 receptor mRNAs. The results indicate that ADM and RDC-1 are hypoxia-sensitive genes and that RDC-1 receptors may mediate some actions of ADM in hypoxic astrocytes.