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Effects of hypothalamic hormones (GRF, TRH, somatostatin) and insulin-like growth factor I on growth hormone secretion from prepubertal male lamb pituitary cultures.

We have examined the regulation of GH secretion from monolayer cultures of prepubertal male lamb anterior pituitary cells. Growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF 1-44) stimulated GH release in a dose-related manner: the maximal effective dose was 10(-10) M, which caused a 500% increase in basal GH secretion, while the half-maximal effect was reached with a dose of 2.5 x 10(-11) M (ED50). Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) also elicited a dose-dependent stimulation of GH secretion, although it was approximately 1000 times less potent than GRF. GRF and TRH did not have additive or synergistic effects on GH secretion. Somatostatin (SRIF) at a concentration of 10(-7) M maximally inhibited basal GH release to 40% of that of the control; the ED50 was 2.0 x 10(-9) M. Moreover, 10(-7) M SRIF blocked the stimulation of GH secretion induced by 10(-8) M GRF. However, when the cells were incubated with these two peptides at an identical concentration (10(-8) M), GH secretion was stimulated significantly above control values. When added at the same concentration (10(-7) M, TRH ans SRIF nullified their respective effects. A dose of 100 ng/ml of synthetic IGF-I was without effect on basal GH release, but significantly decreased 10(-9) M GRF-induced stimulation of GH secretion. these data indicate that in prepubertal male lambs: the stimulatory effect of GRF is predominant over the inhibitory effect of SRIF, somatostatin inhibits TRH stimulation of GH secretion in vitro, and IGF-I may control GH secretion by modulating GRF effects at the pituitary level.

Animals↗

The role of hypothalamic hormones in the pathogenesis of pituitary adenomas.

There is evidence that hypothalamic hormones can regulate hormone secretion by pituitary adenomas. Hormone release by adenomas can be stimulated by hypothalamic releasing peptides; several hypothalamic inhibitory hormones or their analogues are used in the therapy of pituitary tumors to suppress hormone secretion and, in some cases, to reduce tumor size. A role for hypothalamic hormones in the development and growth of pituitary tumors has also been suggested by the association of pituitary adenomas with tumors producing hypothalamic hormones. In particular, tumors producing growth hormone-releasing hormone (GRH) or corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) have been associated with hyperplasia of their target adenohypophysial cells; a few have had pituitary neoplasms. Investigations have shown that some adenohypophysial cells respond to sustained stimulation by hypothalamic peptides with cell proliferation, however, it was not proven that the sustained stimulation resulted in the development of tumors. Recently, an animal model of disease was provided by mice transgenic for GRH. At 8 months of age, the mice developed pituitary mammosomatotroph hyperplasia; mice older than 12 months developed pituitary mammosomatotroph adenoma. It is suggested that continued hormonal stimulation plays a role in tumorigenesis, probably by promotion of cell replication.

Adenoma↗

Growth hormone response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone in liver cirrhosis: unique alteration in anterior pituitary responsiveness to hypothalamic hormones.

Patients with chronic liver diseases were evaluated for: 1) the ability of somatostatin to affect the thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) induced growth hormone (GH) rise; 2) the competence of luteinizing-hormone releasing hormone (LH-RH) to release GH; 3) the non-specific releasing effect of TRH and LH-RH on other anterior pituitary (AP) hormones. In 6 patients, infusion of somatostatin (100 micrograms iv bolus + 375 micrograms i.v. infusion) completely abolished the TRH (400 micrograms i.v.)-induced GH rise; in none of 12 patients, of whom 7 were GH-responders to TRH, did LH-RH (100 micrograms i.v.) cause release of GH; 4) finally, LH-RH (12 patients) did not increase plasma prolactin (PRL) and TRH (7 patients) did not evoke a non-specific release of gonadotropins. It is concluded that: 1) abnormal GH-responsiveness to TRH is the unique alteration in AP responsiveness to hypothalamic hormones present in liver cirrhosis; 2) the mechanism(s) subserving the altered GH response to TRH is different from that underlying the TRH-induced GH rise present in another pathologic state i.e. acromegaly, a condition in which the effect of TRH escapes somatostatin suppression and LH-RH evokes GH and PRL release.

Adult↗

Hypothalamic hormones: from neuroendocrinology to cancer therapy.

The discovery of hypothalamic hormones, especially LH-RH and somatostatin has led to practical clinical use of their analogs in the field of cancer treatment. Bombesin/GRP antagonists can be also considered for the development of new methods for treatment of various tumors. The understanding of functions of these peptide hormones and the availability of their synthetic analogs should permit the clinicians to treat a variety of cancers more successfully than in the past.

Animals↗

Hypothalamic hormone interaction in acromegaly.

The growth hormone response to the administration of the currently available synthetic hypothalamic hormones was assessed in eleven patients with acromegaly. Eight of them showed a positive GH response to thyrotrophin releasing hormone and three showed no response. The GH response to TRH was shown to be unrelated to the thyrotrophin response to TRH. The GH response to TRH was inhibited by the administration of growth hormone release inhibiting hormone. Luteinizing hormone/follicle stimulating hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) caused a positive GH response in four patients, but this was trivial in three. The TRH mediated GH release in acromegaly is not mediated via TSH and appears to be attributable to loss of specificity of the receptor sites on the somatotroph to the hypothalamic hormones.

Acromegaly↗

Hypothalamic hormones and behaviour.

In recent years evidence has accumulated that hypothalamic hormones may influence behaviour directly, independently of their hypophysiotropic effects. Such a dual role has also been shown for several peptide hormones of pituitary and peripheral origin. The present synopsis is concerned with the effects of neuropeptides on spontaneous behaviour, acquired responses in certain psychological test situations, and drug-induced behavioural effects. A growing body of evidence suggests, that neuropeptides are involved in different behavioural processes. Some peptides selectively influence behaviours such as feeding, drinking, sexual responses etc. Other neuropeptides seem to influence behaviour by acting on processes which are a common integral part of the production of behaviour, namely the ability to receive environmental stimuli, to consolidate, retain and retrieve information. The insight into these mechanisms is important for the understanding of mental disturbances and in order to find specific therapy.

Animals↗

Antitumor effects of analogs of hypothalamic hormones in endocrine-dependent cancers.

A new approach to the treatment of endocrine-dependent tumors based on analogs of hypothalamic hormones is in the early stages of development, but appears promising and significant. Administration of hypothalamic hormones can mimic hypophysectomy and gonadectomy, and is essentially devoid of side effects. A successful use of agonistic analogs of LH-RH for treatment of endocrine-dependent prostate cancer has been documented in several hundred patients. Experimental studies suggest that agonists and/or antagonists of LH-RH might be useful for treatment of breast cancer and pituitary tumors. Our work in animal models also indicates that analogs of somatostatin, alone or combined with LH-RH agonists, could be considered for therapy of chondrosarcomas, osteosarcomas, and pancreatic cancer. Experiments are in progress on the use of LH-RH analogs for treatment of ovarian cancer, neoplasms of the female genital tract, and for protection against gonadal damage during chemotherapy. These investigations should extend the concepts of endocrine treatment of cancers.

Animals↗

The role of hypothalamic hormones in the control of growth hormone secretion and of growth.

GHRH and somatostatin have major integrative roles in the control of GH secretion. Alterations in the secretion of each hypothalamic hormone have profound effects on GH secretion. On the basis of current information, it appears that disturbances in GHRH secretion provide a most convincing argument for the pathophysiological role of this hypothalamic hormone in clinically recognized disorders of GH secretion. Thus, the potential use of GHRH and its agonists and antagonists in the treatment of patients with both deficient and excessive GH secretion is based on a solid framework of physiological and pathophysiological studies.

Animals↗

[Secretory activity of lactotrophs and its regulation by hypothalamic hormones in primary cultures of pituitary cells of rats of different ages].

Basal prolactin (PRL) secretion and the responses of lactotrophs to thyroliberin, dopamine and somatostatin were studied in the experiments employing primary monolayer cultures of pituitary cells obtained from developing rats of different ages. High responsiveness of PRL-secreting cells to the action of hypothalamic hormones was observed in the group of neonatal rats, although basal PRL release was about two orders lower in pituitary cultures of neonatal rats as compared to the cultures of immature, pubertal and adult animals. The investigation performed could reveal quantitative, but not qualitative differences in the reactions of lactotrophs of various age groups. It is concluded that postnatal development in the rat is coupled with significant changes of basal PRL release and to a lesser extent, with changes of lactotroph responsiveness to hypothalamic hormones.

Age Factors↗

Hypothalamic hormones and cancer.

The use of peptide analogs for the therapy of various cancers is reviewed. Inhibition of the pituitary-gonadal axis forms the basis for oncological applications of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) agonists and antagonists, but direct effects on tumors may also play a role. Analogs of somatostatin are likewise used for treatment of various tumors. Radiolabeled somatostatin analogs have been successfully applied for the localization of tumors expressing somatostatin receptors. Studies on the role of tumoral LH-RH, growth hormone-releasing hormone (GH-RH), and bombesin/GRP and their receptors in the proliferation of various tumors are summarized, but the complete elucidation of all the mechanisms involved will require much additional work. Human tumors producing hypothalamic hormones are also discussed. Treatment of many cancers remains a major challenge, but new therapeutic modalities are being developed based on antagonists of GH-RH and bombesin, which inhibit growth factors or their receptors. Other approaches consist of the use of cytotoxic analogs of LH-RH, bombesin, and somatostatin, which can be targeted to receptors for these peptides in various cancers and their metastases. These new classes of peptide analogs should lead to a more effective treatment for various cancers.

Animals↗

Molecular biology and regulation of the hypothalamic hormones.

Over the past twenty years, each of the five major hypothalamic releasing or release-inhibiting hormones has been sequenced and its gene structure determined. With the use of molecular biological techniques, such as in situ hybridization, Northern blot analysis or gene constructs for in vitro or in vivo transfection studies--together with 'traditional' neuroendocrinological techniques, such as immunocytochemistry, radio-immunoassay and portal vessel cannulation--investigators have been able to address major issues in neuroendocrine regulation. Several common themes have emerged: messenger RNA expression is uniformly present in neurons that are immunopositive for the specific hypothalamic hormone. Steady state RNA levels within the hypophysiotropic neuron groups are either increased or reduced by changes in specific target hormones that conform to predictions based on previous physiological data. Regulation by the requisite peripheral hormone is exquisitely anatomically specific and is not evident in extrahypophysiotropic regions. Determining the receptor or genetic basis of this specificity is a major focus of current research. Clarifying the apparently lesser role of afferent neural pathways to the hypothalamus in regulating releasing hormone mRNA levels is also an important challenge. Clinically, the measurement of levels of releasing hormones in the peripheral circulation appears to be of limited usefulness, except in rare cases of ectopic GRH or CRH secretion. For diagnostic purposes, each of the releasing hormones has specific utility in amplifying the release and measurement of pituitary hormones, both to clarify the overall physiological activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-target hormone axis and to further define the anatomic locus of any underlying disturbance. The usefulness of somatostatin as a diagnostic tool is presently limited, but the development of SS receptor antagonists might have significant impact in future clinical investigation. The molecular mechanisms of action of the hypothalamic hormones have been separated into those whose receptor-effector function is mediated by the cAMP-adenylate cyclase pathway(s), GRH and CRH, and those working through the phosphoinositide-protein kinase C cascade, GnRH and TRH. Each of the hormone receptors is coupled to intermediary G proteins, somatostatin uniquely to the inhibitory subclass. The mechanisms responsible for sensitization (priming) or desensitization are not fully understood but are presumably related to receptor down regulation and protein phosphorylation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗