title: Growth hormone-releasing peptide-6 inhibits cerebellar cell death in aged rats.
abstract: Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I is essential for cerebellar granule neuron survival and a decline in IGF-I is implicated in various age-dependent processes. Here we show that IGF-I mRNA levels are decreased in the cerebellum of old rats compared with young rats and this was associated with increased cell death and activation of caspases 3 and 9. Growth hormone-releasing peptide (GHRP)-6, a synthetic ligand for the ghrelin receptor, increased IGF-I mRNA levels, decreased cell death and inhibited caspase 3 and 9 activation in the cerebellum of aged rats. These results suggest that increasing IGF-I expression in the cerebellum can decrease cell death in aged rats via inhibition of caspase 3 and 9 activation.
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D009842:Oligopeptides; C041048:growth hormone releasing hexapeptide; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone