Growth hormone-releasing factor stimulates proliferation of somatotrophs in vitro.
The mitogenic effect of the hypothalamic peptides growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) and somatostatin on cultured growth hormone (GH)-producing cells (somatotrophs) was studied. Using autoradiographic detection of [3H]thymidine uptake and immunocytochemical identification of GH-producing cells, we show that 5 nM GRF causes a 20-fold increase in the percentage of somatotrophs labeled with [3H]thymidine. The total number of somatotrophs in GRF-treated cultures was increased by 60%. Somatostatin had no measurable effect on the labeling index by itself, but it partly inhibited the GRF-induced increase in both the labeling index and the total number of cells. Forskolin caused an increase in both the percentage of somatotrophs with a [3H]thymidine-labeled nucleus and the somatotroph number similar to that caused by GRF. GH secretion as well as cellular GH content in the GRF- or forskolin-treated cells increased with culture time over the entire period, whereas secretion and content of GH gradually decreased in control or somatostatin-treated cultures during the entire culture period. These data suggest that GRF and somatostatin regulate the mitotic activity of GH-producing cells and that the effect of GRF is possibly mediated by cyclic AMP.
D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000494:pharmacology; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D013006:Growth Hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; D000242:Cyclic AMP