Ghrelin is a growth-hormone-releasing acylated peptide from stomach

Small synthetic molecules called growth-hormone secretagogues (GHSs) stimulate the release of growth hormone (GH) from the pituitary. They act through GHS-R, a G-protein-coupled receptor for which the ligand is unknown. Recent cloning of GHS-R strongly suggests that an endogenous ligand for the receptor does exist and that there is a mechanism for regulating GH release that is distinct from its regulation by hypothalamic growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). We now report the purification and identification in rat stomach of an endogenous ligand specific for GHS-R. The purified ligand is a peptide of 28 amino acids, in which the serine 3 residue is n-octanoylated. The acylated peptide specifically releases GH both in vivo and in vitro, and O-n-octanoylation at serine 3 is essential for the activity. We designate the GH-releasing peptide 'ghrelin' (ghre is the Proto-Indo-European root of the word 'grow'). Human ghrelin is homologous to rat ghrelin apart from two amino acids. The occurrence of ghrelin in both rat and human indicates that GH release from the pituitary may be regulated not only by hypothalamic GHRH, but also by ghrelin.     

A role for ghrelin in the central regulation of feeding

Ghrelin is an acylated peptide that stimulates the release of growth hormone from the pituitary. Ghrelin-producing neurons are located in the hypothalamus, whereas ghrelin receptors are expressed in various regions of the brain, which is indicative of central-and as yet undefined-physiological functions. Here we show that ghrelin is involved in the hypothalamic regulation of energy homeostasis. Intracerebroventricular injections of ghrelin strongly stimulated feeding in rats and increased body weight gain. Ghrelin also increased feeding in rats that are genetically deficient in growth hormone. Anti-ghrelin immunoglobulin G robustly suppressed feeding. After intracerebroventricular ghrelin administration, Fos protein, a marker of neuronal activation, was found in regions of primary importance in the regulation of feeding, including neuropeptide Y6 (NPY) neurons and agouti-related protein (AGRP) neurons. Antibodies and antagonists of NPY and AGRP abolished ghrelin-induced feeding. Ghrelin augmented NPY gene expression and blocked leptin-induced feeding reduction, implying that there is a competitive interaction between ghrelin and leptin in feeding regulation. We conclude that ghrelin is a physiological mediator of feeding, and probably has a function in growth regulation by stimulating feeding and release of growth hormone.     

Binding sites for growth hormone releasing factor on rat anterior pituitary cells

Growth hormone releasing factors (GRFs) have been isolated from human pancreatic tumours (hGRF) and rat hypothalamus (rhGRF). The response to GRF at the pituitary level can be modulated by other factors, including glucocorticoids, thyroid hormones, somatostatin and other neuropeptides and somatomedins. Glucocorticoids enhance GRF-induced growth hormone (GH) secretion in primary cultures of rat anterior pituitary cells, and the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone has recently been shown to increase the amounts of GH released in freely moving rats in response to submaximal doses of intravenous GRF. To investigate whether somatotroph sensitivity to GRF is modulated at its receptor level, we have developed a radioreceptor assay using an iodinated analogue of hGRF as radioligand. We report here that the relative binding affinities of rGRF, hGRF and the two analogues are correlated with their in vitro biological potencies. Further, the number of GRF binding sites is drastically decreased in cells deprived of glucocorticoids either in vivo or in vitro.     

Growth induced by pulsatile infusion of an amidated fragment of human growth hormone releasing factor in normal and GHRF-deficient rats

The discovery of human pancreatic growth hormone releasing factors (GHRFs) and subsequent characterization of human hypothalamic GHRF has led to studies on the role of these peptides in stimulating growth hormone (GH) release, and attempts to use GHRF peptides to increase growth rates in short children are already underway. However, there is no experimental evidence in animals that exogenous GHRF promotes growth in vivo. Although anaesthetized rats release GH reproducibly in response to GHRF injections, the responses in conscious male rats are much more variable, perhaps because of their highly episodic endogenous GH secretory pattern. In contrast, female rats secrete GH in a more continuous pattern and respond reproducibly to repeated injections of GHRF. We report here that it is possible to establish a 'male' type of GH secretory pattern in normal female rats by long-term pulsatile intravenous (i.v.) infusions of the active human GHRF fragment GHRF (1-29)NH2. We found that this treatment accelerates growth and increases pituitary GH content, whereas continuous infusions of this GHRF fragment at the same daily dose are ineffective. Pulsatile, but not continuous GHRF also stimulates growth in animals made GHRF-deficient by neonatal monosodium glutamate treatment. Thus exogenous GHRF will stimulate growth in both GHRF-deficient and normal animals provided it is administered in an appropriate pattern.     

Characterization of cDNA and genomic clones encoding the precursor to rat hypothalamic growth hormone-releasing factor

Growth hormone-releasing factor (GHRF) is a hypothalamic peptide which positively regulates the synthesis and secretion of growth hormone in the anterior pituitary. The amino-acid sequence of a 43-residue GHRF peptide isolated from rat hypothalamus was recently determined. Immunocytochemical techniques have been used to localize GHRF-containing cell bodies and nerve fibres largely to the medial-basal region of the rat hypothalamus. The rat has also been used extensively as an animal model to study the effects of GHRF on growth hormone synthesis and secretion and on somatic growth. To pursue questions concerning the biosynthesis of GHRF, the expression of the ghrf gene, and its regulation in the hypothalamus by neural and hormonal influences, we have now isolated and characterized both complementary DNA and genomic clones encoding rat hypothalamic GHRF. The rat ghrf gene spans nearly 10 kilobases (kb) of rat genomic DNA, contains 5 exons and encodes a 104-amino-acid precursor to the rat GHRF peptide. Comparison with previously characterized human ghrf cDNA and genomic clones has allowed patterns of conservation of amino-acid and nucleotide sequences between the human and rat GHRFs to be determined.     

Relaxin affects the release of oxytocin and vasopressin from the neurohypophysis

The hormone relaxin has recently been shown to inhibit not only uterine muscle contraction, but also the release of oxytocin into the plasma. Intravenous injection of porcine relaxin in anaesthetized lactating rats inhibits milk ejection and injection of relaxin into the cerebral ventricles disturbs the pattern of the milk ejection reflex. Recent experiments performed in vivo indicate that relaxin might act not only in the uterus, but also in the hypothalamus and possibly in the neurohypophysis. We tested this hypothesis in vitro by studying the effect of relaxin on hormone release from isolated neural lobes of the pituitary and isolated neurosecretory nerve endings of the neurohypophysis from the rat. We report here that relaxin has a dual effect on neurohypophysial hormone secretion. Under basal conditions, vasopressin and oxytocin release was inhibited by relaxin but, when the nerve endings were depolarized, vasopressin and oxytocin secretion was potentiated. We also found that relaxin acts at a stage before the increase in cytoplasmic free Ca2+ that is necessary for inducing hormone release, possibly by gating the calcium channel.     

Fast evolution of growth hormone receptor in primates and ruminants

Pituitary growth hormone (GH) evolves very slowly in most of mammals, but the evolutionary rates appear to have increased markedly on two occasions during the evolution of primates and ruminants. To investigate the evolutionary pattern of growth hormone receptor (GHR), we sequenced the extracellular domain of GHR genes from four primate species. Our results suggested that GHR in mammal also shows an episodic evolutionary pattern, which is consistent with that observed in pituitary growth hormone. Further analysis suggested that this pattern of rapid evolution observed in primates and ruminants is likely the result of coevolution between pituitary growth hormone and its receptor.     

Changes in hypothalamic preproenkephalin A mRNA following stress and opiate withdrawal

The median eminence of the pituitary is rich in opioid receptors, and exogenous opioids have major effects on the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, growth hormone (GH) and thyrotropin. Stress results in similar changes in anterior pituitary hormone secretion. Enkephalin immunoreactivity has been reported in the medial parvocellular neurons of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus which project to the median eminence, the site where hypothalamic releasing factors are secreted into the portal blood and thence to the anterior pituitary gland. The endocrine response to stressful stimuli might therefore, at least in part, be mediated through the activation of hypothalamic enkephalinergic neurons. We show that two stressful stimuli, opiate withdrawal and intraperitoneal injection of hypertonic saline, both result in very rapid and marked increases in enkephalin mRNA in the parvocellular paraventricular nucleus. The activation of hypothalamic enkephalin neurons may be important in the neuroendocrine response to stress.     

饥饿和再投喂对虹鳟生理参数的影响

本文研究饥饿和再投喂各32天对虹鳟7项鱼体生长参数（体长;体重;肥满度;体宽;体高;内脏重;肝重）和5项内分泌参数（脑垂体GH;肝GH特异受体;血浆GH、IGF－Ⅱ和T3）的影响．大体上血浆GH和脑垂体GH水平在饥饿时升高,在再投暇时降低,其它10个参数变化情况与此相反．饥饿后再投喂时补偿性生长现象不明显．本文关于血浆IGF－Ⅱ和脑垂体GH水平在饥饿后重喂的变化情况,以及时诸参数作多元空间分析属首次报道．     

Multiple intracellular signallings involved in regulation of on channels by GH releasing or inhibitory hormones in pituitary somatotropes

Influx of Ca2-via Ca2+ channels is the major step triggering exocytosis of pituitary somatotropes to release growth hormone (GH). Voltage-gated Ca2+ and K+ channels, the primary determinants of the influx of Ca2+ in somatotropes, are regulated by GH-releasing hornone (GHRH) and somatostatin (SRIF) through G protein-coupled signalling systems. Using whole-cell patch-clamp techniques, the changes of the Ca2+ and K+ currents in primary cultured somatotropes were recorded and signalling systems were studied using pharmacological reagents and intracellular dialysis of non-permeable molecules including antibodies and antisense oligonucleotides. GHRH increased both L-and T-types Ca2+ currents and decreased transient (I4) and delayed rectified (Ik) K+ currents. The increase in Ca2+ currents by GHRH was mediated by cAMP/protein kinase A system but the decrease in K+ currents required normal function of protein kinase C system. The GHRH-induced alteration of Ca2+ and K+ currents augments the influx of Ca2+ , leading to an increase in the [ Ca2+ ]I and the GH secretion. In contrary, a significant reduction in Ca2+ currents and increase in K currents were obtained in response to SRIF. The ion channel response to SRIF was demonstrated as a membrane delimited pathway and can be recorded by classic whole-cell configuration, Intracellular dialysis of anti-αi3 antibodies attenuated the increase in K + currents by SRIF whereas anti-αo antibodies blocked the reduction in the Ca2+ current by SRIF. Dialysis of antisense oligonucleotides specific for αo2 sub-units also attenuated the inhibition of SRIF on the Ca2+current. The Gi3 protein mediated the increase in K + currents and the Go2 protein mediated the reduction in the Ca2 +current by SRIF. The SRIF-induced alteration of Ca2 + and K + currents diminished the influx of Ca2+ , leading to a decrease in the [ Ca2+ ]I and the GH secretion. It is therefore concluded that multiple signalling systems are employed in the ion channel response to GHRH or SRIF in somatotropes, which leads to an increase or decrease in the GH secretion.     

鲇脑垂体发生形态学的光镜和激光扫描共聚焦显微观察

应用光镜和激光扫描共聚焦显微镜时鲇脑垂体发生形态学进行观察：鲇脑垂体由两个不同部位的胚胎细胞形成,原始口腔背壁外呸层分离出来的细胞构成腺垂体的前外侧部(RPD)和中外侧部(PPD),从间脑腹面漏斗体分离出来的细胞卡构成腺垂体中间部(PI)及神经垂体．3d龄仔鱼脑垂体的形态业已建成,属前后型．5d龄仔鱼脑垂体可区分出神经垂体及腺垂体,腺垂体可区分出RPD、PPD、和PI3个区域,并开始出现毛细血管．此时,PPD内的生长激素(GH)细胞已经分化．11d龄稚鱼脑垂体中除PPD内GH细胞已分化外,未见其它促激素分泌细胞分化．15d龄稚鱼脑垂体PPD内的促肾上腺皮质素(ACTH)细胞及催乳激素(PRL)细胞已分化．20d龄稚鱼脑垂体内各种激素分泌细胞完全分化．11d龄以前仔鱼脑垂体属前后型,15d龄和20d龄的稚鱼脑垂体内RPD、PPD和P13部分呈直状排列．性成熟鲇脑垂体结构旱背腹型．     

Expression of human growth hormone-releasing factor in transgenic mice results in increased somatic growth

The neurohumoral regulation of growth hormone secretion is mediated in part by two hypothalamic peptides that reach the anterior pituitary via the hypothalamo-hypophysial portal blood system. Somatostatin inhibits the release of growth hormone, whereas growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) positively regulates both growth hormone synthesis and secretion. Two forms of human GRF, 40 and 44 amino acids long, have been characterized from extra-hypothalamic tumours as well as from the hypothalamus. Analysis of human GRF complementary DNA and genomic clones indicates that the GRF peptides are first synthesized as a 107- or 108-amino-acid precursor protein. To examine the physiological consequences of GRF expression, we have established strains of transgenic mice containing a fusion gene including the promoter/regulatory region of the mouse metallothionein-I (MT-I) gene and the coding region of the human GRF gene. We report that expression of the human GRF precursor protein in these animals results in measurable levels of human GRF and increased levels of mouse growth hormone in plasma and accelerated growth rates relative to control littermates. These results demonstrate a direct role for GRF in the positive regulation of somatic growth. Unexpectedly, female transgenic mice carrying the MT-GRF fusion gene are fertile, in contrast to female transgenic mice expressing human or rat growth hormone, which are generally infertile. These transgenic mouse strains should provide useful animal models for the study of several types of human growth disorders.     

Somatostatin selectively inhibits noradrenaline release from hypothalamic neurones

Somatostatin in a hypothalamic peptide hormone which inhibits growth hormone release from the anterior pituitary. However, biochemical and morphological investigations have revealed that somatostatin is located not only in the hypothalamus but also in other brain areas (for example the cerebral cortex) where it occurs and in nerve cell bodies and fibres from which it can be released in a Ca2+-dependent manner. It has therefore been suggested that the neuropeptide may have functions in the central nervous system other than its effect on growth hormone release; one possible action is that of a neuromodulator. Therefore, hypothalamic and cerebral cortical slices of the rat were used to examine whether somatostatin modifies the electrically or CaCl2-evoked release of tritiated monoamines from monoaminergic neurones. it is reported here that somatostatin inhibits 3H-noradrenaline release from the hypothalamus (but not from the cerebral cortex) but does not affect the release of 3H-dopamine and 3H-serotonin.     

Pituitary hyperplasia and gigantism in mice caused by a cholera toxin transgene.

Cyclic AMP is thought to act as an intracellular second messenger, mediating the physiological response of many cell types to extracellular signals. In the pituitary, growth hormone (GH)-producing cells (somatotrophs) proliferate and produce GH in response to hypothalamic GH-releasing factor, which binds a receptor that stimulates Gs protein activation of adenylyl cyclase. We have now determined whether somatotroph proliferation and GH production are stimulated by cAMP alone, or require concurrent, non-Gs-mediated induction of other regulatory molecules by designing a transgene to induce chronic supraphysiological concentrations of cAMP in somatotrophs. The rat GH promoter was used to express an intracellular form of cholera toxin, a non-cytotoxic and irreversible activator of Gs. Introduction of this transgene into mice caused gigantism, elevated serum GH levels, somatotroph proliferation and pituitary hyperplasia. These results support the direct triggering of these events by cAMP, and illustrate the utility of cholera toxin transgenes as a tool for physiological engineering.     

荧光实时定量PCR检测尼罗罗非鱼GH、GHR、IGF-I基因方法的建立及初步应用

 为了准确分析尼罗罗非鱼生长激素（growth hormone , GH）、生长激素受体（growth hormone receptors, GHRs）和胰岛素样生长因子I （Insulin like growth factor-I,IGF I）在早期发育阶段的作用,实验设计了尼罗罗非鱼GH、GHR、IGF I基因的特异性引物,提 取垂体或肝脏总RNA并扩增出目的片段,将PCR产物克隆到pGEM-T Easy载体,经质粒PCR扩增、酶切和测序鉴定重组质粒,构建 标准曲线等,成功建立了GH、GHR、IGF-I基因荧光实时定量PCR检测方法。运用建立的荧光实时定量 PCR检测了尼罗罗非鱼GH 、GHR和IGF I基因表达的发育性变化。结果表明在早期发育阶段,尼罗罗非鱼GH 与 IGF-I,GHR1与 GHR2的mRNA表达存在一 定的互补关系;GH的表达与GHR1的表达呈显著正相关,提示GH与IGF-I,GHR1与GHR2在尼罗罗非鱼早期发育的不同阶段起主导 作用,且GH可能主要通过与GHR1的结合起作用。     

Single nucleotide polymorphism analysis in chicken growth hormone gene and its associations with growth and carcass traits

In this experiment, F2 chicken derived from Broilers crossing to Silky are used to study the effect of growth hormone gene on growth and carcass traits. The partial gene is amplified by two pairs of primers, and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) is detected by the technique of PCR-RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism), and then confirmed by DNA sequencing. The mutations are found in intron 3 and intron 4 respectively, and can be clarified by digestion with EcoRVand Msp I. The results of least square analysis indicate that the gene has significant association with some carcass traits, such as breast muscle weight, breast muscle rate, abdominal fat rate, and has no association with other growth and carcass traits, such as live weight, carcass weight, eviscerated yield with giblet, eviscerated yield, leg muscle weight, heart weight, liver weight, abdominal fat weight, chest angle width, head and neck weight,shank and claw weight, wing weight, muscular stomach weight, glandular stomach weight, ovary or testicular weight, shank girth, small intestine length, 1-week body weight, 6-week body weight, 12-week body weight, etc. These results demonstrate that GH gene could be a genetic locus or linked to a major gene significantly affecting the growth and carcass traits in chicken.     

江苏汉族人生长激素受体基因多态性研究

为了解生长激素受体(GHR)基因多态性在江苏汉族人群中的分布,通过多重PCR及PCR-RFLP的方法对269例江苏地区正常汉族人进行GHR基因3个位点的多态性分析,并与文献中报道的其它种族和地区的人群进行比较分析.结果显示江苏地区汉族正常人群中GHR基因型以fl/fl、I/L、P/P发生频率最高,这种分布在男女之间没有差异,与其它地区汉族人比较没有明显差异,与日本人差异也不明显,而与法国、俄罗斯人差异明显.研究表明,GHR基因3个位点多态性在不同种族之间分布存在着明显的差异,这种差异有可能是导致不同种族间人体测量学差异及对一些疾病的易感性及对药物的反应性不同的因素之一.     

大黄鱼生长激素基因的克隆与表达

采用RT-PCR方法从大黄鱼脑垂体总RNA中克隆编码生长激素基因序列,并与数据库中鱼类生长激素基因进行比较.扩增获得的生长激素基因定向克隆到表达质粒pET-22b(+),并在大肠杆菌Rosetta(DE3)中表达.表达的蛋白为可溶性蛋白,表达量占细胞总蛋白的5%.