Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P61278 (somatostatin)
 22,083 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The activity of both somatostatin (SS) and GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) neurons within several hypothalamic nuclei is regulated, in part, by the feedback effects of GH. However, whether GH, or its intermediate, insulin-like growth factor I, acts on these neurons to alter the synthesis and release of SS and GHRH is unknown. We argued that if GH itself acts directly on the brain to govern its own secretion, then regions of the brain containing SS and GHRH neurons may express the GH receptor gene. We tested this hypothesis by performing in situ hybridization for GH receptor messenger RNA (mRNA) and mapping its distribution in the brain. We observed GH receptor mRNA-containing cells in various brain regions including the thalamus, septal region, hippocampus, dentate gyrus, amygdala, and hypothalamus. Next we sought evidence for expression of the GH receptor mRNA by SS neurons in the hypothalamus. We addressed this by performing a double-label in situ hybridization to identify neurons expressing both SS mRNA and GH receptor mRNA. We report that SS neurons in the periventricular nucleus and in the paraventricular nucleus coexpress the GH receptor gene, whereas few, if any, of the SS neurons in the cortex express detectable amounts of the GH receptor mRNA. These findings suggest that GH acts directly on the brain and participates in the regulation of its own secretion through a direct action on hypothalamic SS neurons.
 ...
PMID:Growth hormone receptor messenger ribonucleic acid distribution in the adult male rat brain and its colocalization in hypothalamic somatostatin neurons. 135 44

Growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone (GRH) is a stimulatory hypothalamic hypophysiotropic hormone which, along with an inhibitory peptide, somatostatin (SRIF), regulates the synthesis and secretion of GH in anterior pituitary somatotrophs. Although GHRH genes in several species have been characterized, there is only a limited understanding of the neural and hormonal mechanisms regulating GRH biosynthesis and secretion. Recent progress in PCR and in situ hybridization techniques as well as hGRF-transgenic animal models have provided an opportunity to study the regulation of GRH gene expression and secretion as well as its metabolism. The difference in 5'-untranslated sequences in both mouse and rat GRH cDNAs from hypothalamus and placenta has also suggested tissue-specific regulation of the GRH gene. GH excess has been shown to result in a decrease in hypothalamic GRH mRNA as well as GRH content and secretion while GH deficiency caused by hypophysectomy, hypothyroidism or genetic dwarfism causes an increase in GRH mRNA levels as tested by Northern blot analysis or in situ hybridization. Treatment of animals with GH or SRIF inhibits the increased GRH gene expression in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus. Double immunocytochemistry for hypothalamic GRH and SRIF has shown both axo-perikaryal and axo-axonal connections between GRH- and SRIF- containing neurons. SRIF binding and GH receptor mRNA are demonstrated on a subpopulation of GRH-containing neurons in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus. It is therefore possible to conclude that regulation of GRH gene expression, primarily related to inhibitory feedback effects of GH and IGFs on hypothalamic GRH gene expression, is mediated at least in part by SRIF or GH. The single transcript of the human GRH gene encodes a 108 amino acid precursor, prepro-hGRH, which is cleaved into the signal peptide and the remaining peptide, pro-hGRH. The latter is further processed to yield two equipotent forms of the releasing hormone, hGRH(1-44)-NH2, hGRH(1-40)-OH, and a carboxyl-terminal peptide (hGCTP) of unknown function. Studies in transgenic mice demonstrate the processing of hGRH-prohormone into both mature forms of hGRH and hGCTP, and provide evidence that hGRH(1-40)-OH is derived from hGRH(1-44)-NH2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
 ...
PMID:[Regulation of growth hormone-releasing hormone gene expression and secretion]. 136 Sep 9

There are GH-binding proteins (GHBPs) present in the blood of many species, and these correspond to the extracellular GH-binding domain of the GH receptor. In the rat, GHBP arises by alternative splicing of the GH receptor mRNA, but little is known of the physiological role of circulating GHBP, or its relationship with episodic GH secretion. We have developed a sensitive radioimmunoassay based on recombinant GHBP, and have measured rat GHBP levels in small samples of plasma from normal and GH-deficient dwarf rats. In normal adult rats, GHBP levels were two- to threefold higher in females than in males (16.6 +/- 0.8 vs 6.4 +/- 0.4 micrograms/l, P < 0.001), but this sex difference was not seen in dwarf rats. A continuous infusion of human GH in dwarf males raised plasma GHBP to 23.5 +/- 3.5 micrograms/l compared with 6.7 +/- 0.5 micrograms/l in sham-infused animals, whereas suppression of GH by continuous infusion of a long-acting somatostatin analogue in female dwarf rats had no effect on GHBP. In anaesthetized rats, large changes in plasma GH caused by i.v. administration of rat GH, somatostatin or GH-releasing factor did not affect GHBP acutely. Both GH and GHBP were also measured in serial blood samples from conscious normal and dwarf rats. A sexually dimorphic GH secretory pattern was observed in both strains. Males showed peaks and troughs of GH every 3 h varying over a 100-fold range, whereas females exhibited more continuous GH secretion. Despite the large fluctuations in endogenous GH, GHBP levels remained relatively constant in individual normal or dwarf males, as well as in females of both strains, and there was no significant correlation between GH and GHBP either in individual rats or as a group. Our results suggest that GHBP is GH-dependent in the longer term, and that the higher GHBP levels in female rats require their continuous GH secretory pattern. However, plasma GHBP levels remain stable and are not affected by acute changes in endogenous or exogenous GH.
 ...
PMID:Growth hormone (GH)-binding protein in normal and GH-deficient dwarf rats. 148 99

The insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are bound by specific, high affinity binding proteins. Distinct classes of IGF-binding proteins have been described in human serum, amniotic fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, and conditioned medium from cultured cells. Sheep thyroid cells produce IGF-binding proteins under hormonal regulation. Cells grown without or with standard medium supplements (transferrin, glycyl-histidyl-lysine, hydrocortisone, somatostatin, insulin, and TSH) released binding proteins with apparent mol wt of 23, 29, and 32 kDa on Western ligand blot (nonreduced). Binding proteins from these cells appeared as 21, 26, 34, 36, and 41 kDa bands when cross-linked to [125I]IGF-I under reducing conditions. The addition of epidermal growth factor (EGF) or phorbol esters, thyroid cell mitogens stimulated the production of larger binding proteins with mol wt of 40-44 and 48-52 by ligand blot and cross-linking methods, respectively. Deglycosylation of conditioned medium cross-linked to [125I]IGF-I with endoglycosidase-F did not alter the size of the smaller binding proteins, but reduced EGF-stimulated binding proteins to 36-40 kDa. Similarly, tunicamycin treatment, which inhibits glycosylation, reduced only the size of this larger binding protein species. Polyclonal antisera directed against the human amniotic fluid binding protein (BP-28) immunoprecipitated the 32 kDa sheep thyroid binding protein seen on ligand blot and the cross-linked binding protein at 36-38 kDa. Antibody against the major human serum binding protein (BP-53) recognized only the larger EGF-stimulated binding proteins. In contrast to sheep thyroid cells, rat FRTL5 thyroid cells produced no detectable IGF-binding proteins. We conclude that the predominant binding proteins produced by sheep thyroid cells under standard culture conditions are non-glycosylated and immunoreact with antiserum directed against BP-28. EGF and phorbol esters stimulate production of larger glycosylated binding proteins antigenically related to BP-53.
 ...
PMID:Characterization of insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins from sheep thyroid cells. 247 27

GH synthesis and release from the anterior pituitary is governed by the opposing actions of somatostatin (SS) and GH-releasing factor (GRF), derived from the periventricular and arcuate nucleus (ARC) of the hypothalamus respectively. GH is known to regulate its own release by hypothalamic autofeedback mechanisms, but the extent to which this is a direct effect rather than indirectly via the generation of IGFs is still a subject of debate. GH receptors are known to be present in the hypothalamus, but their physiological regulation is poorly understood. We therefore used in situ hybridization histochemistry to investigate the effects of GH status on hypothalamic GH receptor gene expression, using hypophysectomized normal and dw/dw dwarf rats as models of acquired and congenital GH deficiency. Hypophysectomy resulted in a time-dependent reduction in GH receptor gene expression. ARC GH receptor transcripts in untreated dw/dw dwarf rats were half those found in normal animals of the same background strain (16.8 +/- 1.7 vs 9.3 +/- 1.9 d.p.m./mg, P < 0.05). Increasing circulating GH by peripheral infusion of 200 micrograms human GH (hGH)/day for 6 days increased ARC GH receptor expression in dw/dw rats to normal. In contrast, central infusions of hGH at 26.4 and 79.2 micrograms/day for 6 days in normal rats lowered ARC GH receptor gene expression. The sensitivity of GH receptor gene expression within the central nervous system to peripheral and central GH levels suggests that feedback regulation of GRF and/or SS may be mediated directly by these receptors, and that the sensitivity to GH feedback is also subject to autoregulation by GH altering its own receptor expression.
 ...
PMID:Hypothalamic GH receptor gene expression in the rat: effects of altered GH status. 749 May 52

A monoclonal antibody (mAb), designated PS-11.2, was generated by immunizing mice with recombinant porcine growth hormone (pGH). This antibody recognized GHs of porcine, bovine (bGH) and chicken (cGH) origins, but not human GH, ovine prolactin, somatostatin S-14, and GH-releasing factor (1-29)-NH2. Western analysis indicated that PS-11.2 predominantly identified not only the 22.5-kD protein but also its 45-kD dimer. It also recognized the 4.5- and 10-kD fragments of pGH resulting from trypsin digestion. The binding kinetics of PS-11.2 to pGH was determined by the biospecific interaction analysis in a real-time mode. The association and dissociation rate constants were estimated as 1.4 x 10(5) M-1 s-1 and 2.2 x 10(-4) s-1, respectively, thus producing an overall affinity of Kd = 1.6 x 10(-9) M. It partially inhibited the interaction of pGH and GH-binding protein in a competitive radioimmunoassay, suggesting that the pGH epitope recognized by PS-11.2 was closely related to the region responsible for engaging with GH receptors. Growth-deficient hypophysectomized rats were used for functional evaluation and shown to grow in response to the treatment of pGH. This effect was further augmented when pGH was administered together with PS-11.2, although antibody itself did not promote the growth of these animals. The antibody-mediated effect continued beyond the 5-day treatment period, indicating its long-lasting effect. Similar enhancement by PS-11.2 was also observed with bGH and cGH in this rat model.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
 ...
PMID:Modulation of the effectiveness of growth hormone with a monoclonal antibody. 767 Nov 22

Cytosolic free calcium ions concentration ([Ca2+]i) was measured in cell suspensions of cultured human IM-9 lymphocytes by dual wavelength fluorescence spectrometry using the calcium probe fura-2. Human GH (0.2-50 nM) induced a slow, progressive and sustained increase in [Ca2+]i. The GH effect was specific and exhibited a biphasic pattern, presumably reflecting GH receptor dimerization, typical of some other GH actions. The hGH effect depended on extracellular calcium, suggesting that at least part of the [Ca2+]i increase was due to a stimulation of calcium influx. GH did not increase IP3. Somatostatin-14 in the range 10(-10) to 10(-8) M, while having no effect of its own on [Ca2+]i, inhibited the effect of hGH. This inhibition by somatostatin was prevented by pretreatment of the cells with pertussis toxin. The hGH-induced [Ca2+]i increase was not related to either protein tyrosine phosphorylation or protein kinase C activation, thus suggesting a novel mechanism of GH transmembrane signalling.
 ...
PMID:Human growth hormone increases cytosolic free calcium in cultured human IM-9 lymphocytes: a novel mechanism of growth hormone transmembrane signalling. 803 38

Availability of recombinant growth hormone (GH) and development of long-acting formulations of this material will undoubtedly lead to widespread use of GH in animal industry and in medicine. GH can act, directly or indirectly, on multiple targets, but its influence on the reproductive system and on the hormonal control of reproduction is poorly understood. Overexpression of GH genes in transgenic animals provides a unique opportunity to study the effects of long-term GH excess. Transgenic mice overexpressing bovine, ovine, or rat GH (hormones with actions closely resembling, if not identical to, those of endogenous [mouse] GH), exhibit enhancement of growth, increased adult body size, and reduced life-span as well as a number of endocrine and reproductive abnormalities. Ectopic overexpression of bovine GH (bGH) driven by metallothionein or phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase promoters is associated with altered activity of hypothalamic neurons which produce somatostatin, loss of adenohypophyseal GH releasing hormone (GHRH) receptors, and suppression of endogenous (mouse) GH release. Elevation of plasma levels of GH (primarily bGH) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) in these transgenic mice leads to increases in the number of hepatic GH and prolactin (PRL) receptors, in the serum levels of GH-binding protein (GHBP), in the percent of GHBP complexed with GH, and in the circulating insulin levels. In addition, plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone levels are elevated. Plasma levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), as well as its synthesis and release, are not consistently affected, but follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels are suppressed, apparently due to pre- and post-translational effects. Pituitary lactotrophs exhibit characteristics of chronic enhancement of secretory activity, and plasma PRL levels are elevated. Prolactin responses to mating or to pharmacological blockade of dopamine synthesis are abnormal. Reproductive life span and efficiency are reduced in both sexes, with the severity and frequency of reproductive deficits being related to plasma bGH levels. Most transgenic females expressing high levels of bGH are sterile due to luteal failure. Overexpression of human GH which, in the mouse, interacts with both GH and PRL receptors leads to additional endocrine and reproductive abnormalities including stimulation of LH beta mRNA levels and LH secretion, loss of responsiveness to testosterone feedback, overstimulation of mammary glands, enhanced mammary tumorigenesis, and hypertrophy of accessory reproductive glands in males.
 ...
PMID:Neuroendocrine and reproductive consequences of overexpression of growth hormone in transgenic mice. 807 44

GH feeds back on the hypothalamus and regulates its own secretion. We have previously shown that systemic administration of GH induces expression of the c-fos gene, a marker of neuronal activity, on the hypothalamic neuropeptide Y(NPY) and somatostatin neurons in rats. We argued that if GH were to act directly on NPY neurons, NPY neurons should express the GH receptor (GHR) gene. To test this hypothesis, coronal sections of the medial basal hypothalamus from adult male Wistar rats were processed by double label in situ hybridization using a 35S-labeled NPY complementary RNA probe and a digoxigenin-labeled GHR complementary RNA probe. In the medial basal hypothalamus, NPY messenger RNA (mRNA) was observed in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) and the dorsomedial nucleus. The majority (95%) of NPY mRNA-containing cells in the ARC expressed the GHR gene, whereas no NPY mRNA-containing cells in the dorsomedial nucleus expressed the GHR gene. These findings suggest that NPY neurons in the ARC mediate the feedback effect of GH on the hypothalamus.
 ...
PMID:Growth hormone receptor gene is expressed in neuropeptide Y neurons in hypothalamic arcuate nucleus of rats. 861 54

GH is thought to exert a short-loop feedback action on the hypothalamic somatostatin- and GH-releasing hormone (GHRH)-containing neurons. The direct actions of GH are mediated through GH receptors. In the male rat, few GHRH-containing neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) appear to express the GH receptor messenger RNA (mRNA); however, some unidentified neurons near GHRH neurons do. Recent evidence suggests that neuropeptide-Y (NPY)-containing neurons, which are located near GHRH neurons in the ARC, are targets for GH action because treatment of rats with GH induces c-fos expression in these cells. We conducted two experiments to test the hypothesis that GH acts on NPY neurons in the ARC. First, we performed double-label in situ hybridization to determine whether NPY neurons in the ARC express GH receptor mRNA. Second, we investigated the possibility that GH regulates NPY mRNA expression by using in situ hybridization to compare ARC NPY mRNA levels among groups of normal (n = 7), hypophysectomized (n = 7), and hypophysectomized/rGH-treated (1.5 mg rat GH over 3 days; n = 6) rats. We found that most of the NPY-containing neurons in the ARC expressed GH receptor mRNA, whereas hypothalamic NPY neurons residing outside of the ARC did not. Furthermore, hypophysectomy significantly decreased NPY mRNA levels, and GH treatment restored the levels to those of the intact animals. We conclude that GH regulates the activity of NPY neurons in the ARC by a direct action on GH receptors that are expressed by NPY neurons. Whether the action of GH on NPY neurons in the ARC is related to the feedback control of GH secretion or some other physiological function remains to be determined.
 ...
PMID:Regulation of hypothalamic neuropeptide-Y neurons by growth hormone in the rat. 862 6


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>