title: Cross-talk between excitatory and inhibitory amino acids in the regulation of growth hormone secretion in neonatal rats.
abstract: Experiments were carried out in 5-day-old male and female rats in order to assess the respective roles of distinct gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor subtypes in the control of growth hormone (GH) secretion in the newborn rat and to identify the potential sexual dimorphism of GABA actions on GH release. The interplay of GABA and excitatory acids (EAAs) to control GH secretion was also analysed. Effects of specific GABA(A), GABA(B) and GABA(C) agonists upon GH secretion as well as of co-administration of GABA and agonists and antagonists of EAA receptors were monitored in 5-day-old male rats. The data confirm that GABA stimulates GH secretion in 5-day-old rats, but indicate that the effect is sexually dimorphic, being greater in females. Stimulation of GH secretion by GABA is mainly mediated by GABA(A) receptors, while GABA(C) appears to be ineffective. Stimulatory effects of GH by GABA and muscimol, a GABA(A) receptor agonist, are blocked by pretreatment with (+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclophepten-5-10-imine hydrogen maleate (MK-801), an antagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, but not by 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6-nitro-2,3-dioxo-benzo[f]-quinoxaline-7-sulfonamide (NBQX), an antagonist of (+/-)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) receptors. Simultaneous administration of GABA and NMDA was additive on GH release while basal GH secretion was not affected by either bicuculline or the respective blockers of GABA(A) and GABA(B) receptors. In conclusion, our results suggest that cross-talk between inhibitory (GABA) and EAAs is involved in the control of GH secretion in neonates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Córdoba, Spain.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pinilla
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tena-Sempere
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aguilar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001418:Baclofen / Q000494:pharmacology; D001640:Bicuculline / Q000494:pharmacology; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D018755:GABA Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018756:GABA Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009118:Muscimol / Q000494:pharmacology; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000494:pharmacology; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018079:Receptors, GABA / Q000378:metabolism; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000378:metabolism; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D018755:GABA Agonists; D018756:GABA Antagonists; D011810:Quinoxalines; D018079:Receptors, GABA; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; C062865:2,3-dioxo-6-nitro-7-sulfamoylbenzo(f)quinoxaline; D009118:Muscimol; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid; D013006:Growth Hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; D001418:Baclofen; D001640:Bicuculline