title: Growth hormone secretagogue receptor subtypes 1a and 1b are expressed in the human adrenal cortex.
abstract: Ghrelin is an endogenous ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptors (GHS-Rs), two subtypes of which have been recognized: the biologically active 1a and the biologically inactive 1b subtype. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction demonstrated ghrelin and GHS-R1b mRNAs in eight human adrenal cortexes, and GHS-R1a mRNA only in six of the eight adrenal specimens. The GHS-R1a expression was absent in the two adrenal cortexes obtained from 76- and 79-year old male patients. Since previous studies showed that ghrelin does not affect steroid-hormone secretion, the present findings suggest that ghrelin via the GHS-R1a could be involved in the autocrine-paracrine control of human-adrenal growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy and Physiology, Section of Anatomy, University of Padua, I-35121 Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carraro
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Albertin
authors.forename: Abudujilili
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abudukerimu
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aragona
authors.forename: Gastone G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Nussdorfer
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D054440:Receptors, Ghrelin; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D054440:Receptors, Ghrelin; D012313:RNA