Corticotropin releasing factor stimulates growth hormone secretion in neonatal rats.
Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) both stimulates ACTH secretion from the pituitary and inhibits secretion of growth hormone (GH) in adult rats through actions in the CNS. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate these pituitary and central actions of CRF in neonatal rats, in which the hypothalamo- pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis is relatively hypo-functional. The results of this study show that central or peripheral administration of CRF evokes a marked dose-related rise in serum corticosterone in 6-day old rats. The same doses of CRF stimulate, rather than inhibit GH secretion. These results suggest that CRF has unique central actions early in ontogeny.
Department of Pharmacology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C. 27710.
C
C
Kuhn
K
K
Albright
R
R
Francis
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000378:metabolism*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats
D013006:Growth Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D003345:Corticosterone