scholarly journals From growth hormone-releasing peptides to ghrelin: discovery of new modulators of GH secretion

2006 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Maria J. Lengyel
Keyword(s):  
Growth Hormone ◽  
Protein Kinase ◽  
C Protein ◽  
Releasing Hormone ◽  
Gh Secretagogues ◽  
Main Site ◽  
Gh Secretion ◽  
Kinase C ◽  
Growth Hormone Releasing Peptides

Growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone and somatostatin modulate GH secretion. A third mechanism has been discovered in the last decade, involving the action of GH secretagogues. Ghrelin is a new acylated peptide produced mainly by the stomach, but also synthesized in the hypothalamus. This compound increases both GH release and food intake. The relative roles of hypothalamic and circulating ghrelin on GH secretion are still unknown. Endogenous ghrelin might amplify the basic pattern of GH secretion, optimizing somatotroph responsiveness to GH-releasing hormone. This peptide activates multiple interdependent intracellular pathways at the somatotroph, involving protein kinase C, protein kinase A and extracellular calcium systems. However, as ghrelin induces a greater release of GH in vivo, its main site of action is the hypothalamus. In this paper we review the available data on the discovery of ghrelin, the mechanisms of action and possible physiological roles of GH secretagogues and ghrelin on GH secretion, and, finally, the regulation of GH release in man after intravenous administration of these peptides.

Tri-iodothyronine inhibition of thyrotrophin-releasing hormone-induced growth hormone release from the chicken adenohypophysis in vitro

1990 ◽  
Vol 126 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Harvey
Keyword(s):  
Growth Hormone ◽  
Hormone Release ◽  
Growth Hormone Release ◽  
Direct Effects ◽  
Thyrotrophin Releasing Hormone ◽  
Releasing Hormone ◽  
Gh Secretion ◽  
Site Of Action

ABSTRACT Tri-iodothyronine (T3) had no effect on the basal level of GH release from chicken hemipituitary glands perifused in vitro. The GH response to TRH was, however, markedly suppressed following exposure to T3. Suppression of TRH-stimulated GH secretion was observed after a 2-h preincubation with T3, and was induced, in a dose-related way, by 0·01–10 μmol T3/l. Exposure to T3 also reduced the effectiveness of TRH, at concentrations of 0·001–10 μg/ml, to stimulate GH release. These results demonstrate that, in addition to a hypothalamic site of action, T3 is likely to suppress GH secretion in vivo by direct effects on pituitary GH release. Journal of Endocrinology (1990) 126, 75–81

Theophylline blunts the GH-response to growth hormone releasing hormone in normal subjects

1986 ◽  
Vol 112 (4) ◽  
pp. 473-480 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Losa ◽  
Roland Huss ◽  
August König ◽  
O. Albrecht Müller ◽  
Klaus von Werder
Keyword(s):  
Growth Hormone ◽  
Normal Subjects ◽  
List Type ◽  
Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone ◽  
Test Procedures ◽  
Continuous Administration ◽  
Releasing Hormone ◽  
Gh Secretion

Abstract. Theophylline enhances GH-secretion in vitro, whereas in vivo a slight decrease of basal GH-levels has been observed. In the present study the effect of theophylline on the GH-responsiveness to acute and continuous administration of growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) was investigated. The following protocol was performed. GHRH study. Fifty μg GHRH was given as an iv bolus followed by constant GHRH-infusion (100 μg/h) over 2 h after which another GHRH bolus of 50 μg was given. GHRH plus theophylline study. GHRH was administered as in the first study and theophylline was infused at a constant rate of 3.56 mg/min over 3 h, starting one h before the GHRH bolus. Theophylline study. Only saline and theophylline were infused. GHRH alone led to a GH-rise within 30 min with a maximum of 22.8 ± 7.2 ng/ml (mean ± se) after which GH-levels decreased despite continuous GHRH-infusion to a nadir of 12.1 ± 4.4 ng/ml at 105 min. The second GHRH bolus led to a minimal GH-increase (13.3 ± 6.4 ng/ml at 135 min). Theophylline administration resulted in blunting of the GH-response to GHRH in all volunteers, with GH levels fluctuating between 4–6 ng/ml throughout GHRH-administration. Theophylline alone did not affect GH-levels in three subjects studied, whereas in the other one a GH secretory episode 90 min after administration of the drug was observed. Prl showed a minimal increase only after the second GHRH bolus (from 254.2 ± 7.7 μU/ml to 317.3 ± 96.0 μU/ml in study 1, and from 139.3 ± 26.9 μU/ml to 193.0 ± 32.6 μU/ml in study 2), TSH-levels did not change during any of the test-procedures and GHRH-levels were comparable in both study 1 and 2. Free fatty acids (FFA) rose progressively after theophylline administration (from 0.68 ± 0.10 mEq/l to 1.06 ± 0.08 mEq/l in study 2, and from 0.64 ± 0.12 mEq/l to 1.09 ± 0.05 mEq/l in study 3), but also after GHRH alone (from 0.50 ± 0.05 mEq/l to 0.78 ±0.11 mEq/l). This shows that therapeutical doses of theophylline blunt the GH-response to GHRH in normal subjects. The mechanisms involved may be a competition for the adenosine receptor at the pituitary, or an indirect effect mediated by the rise of FFA levels.

Effects of hypothyroidism, tri-iodothyronine and glucocorticoids on growth hormone responses to growth hormone-releasing hormone and His-d-Trp-Ala-Trp-d-Phe-Lys-NH2

1989 ◽  
Vol 121 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. A. Edwards ◽  
C. Dieguez ◽  
M. F. Scanlon
Keyword(s):  
Growth Hormone ◽  
Thyroid Hormones ◽  
Pituitary Cells ◽  
Releasing Hormone ◽  
Gh Secretion ◽  
Monolayer Cultures ◽  
Hormone Responses

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to investigate the role of thyroid hormones and glucocorticoids on GH secretion. Secretion of GH in response to GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) (5 μg/kg) was markedly (P < 0·001) decreased in hypothyroid rats in vivo (peak GH responses to GHRH, 635 ± 88 μg/l in euthyroid rats vs 46 ±15 μg/l in hypothyroid rats). Following treatment with tri-iodothyronine (T3; 20 μg/day s.c. daily for 2 weeks) or cortisol (100 pg/day s.c. for 2 weeks) or T3 plus cortisol, a marked (P <0·01) increase in GH responses to GHRH was observed in hypothyroid rats (peak GH responses, 326 ±29 μg/l after T3 vs 133+19 μg/l after cortisol vs 283 ± 35 μg/l after cortisol plus T3). In contrast, none of these treatments modified GH responses to GHRH in euthyroid animals. Hypothyroidism was also associated with impaired GH responses to the GH secretagogue, Hisd-Trp-Ala-Trp-d-Phe-Lys-NH2 (GHRP-6). Secretion of GH in response to GHRP-6 in vivo was reduced (P <0·01) in hypothyroid rats (peak GH responses, 508 ± 177 μg/l in euthyroid rats vs 203 ± 15 μg/l in hypothyroid rats). In-vitro studies carried out using monolayer cultures of rat anterior pituitary cells derived from euthyroid and hypothyroid rats showed a marked impairment of somatotroph responsiveness to both GHRP-6 and somatostatin in cultures derived from hypothyroid rats. In summary, our data suggest that thyroid hormones and glucocorticoids influence GH secretion by modulating somatotroph responsiveness to different GH secretagogues. Journal of Endocrinology (1989) 121, 31–36

Chronic treatment by the calcium channel blocker ± PN 200-110 in the rat counteracts the stimulations of pituitary weight, prolactin release and pituitary C-kinase activity induced by a chronic estradiol treatment, in vivo

1990 ◽  
Vol 122 (3) ◽  
pp. 403-408
Author(s):  
Ph. Touraine ◽  
P. Birman ◽  
F. Bai-Grenier ◽  
C. Dubray ◽  
F. Peillon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase C ◽  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Calcium Channel ◽  
Calcium Channel Blocker ◽  
Channel Blocker ◽  
Plasma Prolactin ◽  
Estradiol Treatment ◽  
Kinase C ◽  
Protein Kinase C Activity

Abstract In order to investigate whether a calcium channel blocker could modulate the protein kinase C activity in normal and estradiol pretreated rat pituitary, female Wistar rats were treated or not (controls) with ± PN 200-110 (3 mg · kg−1 · day−1, sc) for 8 days or with estradiol cervical implants for 8 or 15 days, alone or in combination with PN 200-110 the last 8 days. Estradiol treatment induced a significant increase in plasma prolactin levels and pituitary weight. PN 200-110 administered to normal rats did not modify these parameters, whereas it reduced the effects of the 15 days estradiol treatment on prolactin levels (53.1 ± 4.9 vs 95.0 ±9.1 μg/l, p<0.0001) and pituitary weight (19.9 ± 0.4 vs 23.0 ± 0.6 mg, p <0.001), to values statistically comparable to those measured after 8 days of estradiol treatment. PN 200-110 alone did not induce any change in protein kinase C activity as compared with controls. In contrast, PN 200-110 treatment significantly counteracted the large increase in soluble activity and the decrease in the particulate one induced by estradiol between day 8 and day 15. We conclude that PN 200-110 opposed the stimulatory effects of chronic in vivo estradiol treatment on plasma prolactin levels and pituitary weight and that this regulation was related to a concomitant modulation of the protein kinase C activity.

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