Chronic intracerebroventricular TLQP-21 delivery does not modulate the GH/IGF-1-axis and muscle strength in mice.
OBJECTIVE
Biallelic ablation of VGF determines a dwarf phenotype. VGF precursor protein encodes for different biologically active peptides none of which has been related to growth or muscular abnormalities. Here we present the first attempt to fill this gap. We tested the hypothesis that a recently identified VGF-derived peptide, TLQP-21, shown to centrally modulate metabolic functions, could also modulate growth hormone (GH)-axis and muscle strength.


METHODS
Adult male mice were chronically icv injected with TLQP-21 (15 microg/day for 14 days). Physiological, molecular and behavioral parameters related to the GH/IGF-1-axis were investigated.


RESULTS
Except for a reduction in the soleus weight, TLQP-21 did not affect GH/IGF-1-axis mediators, muscle strength and muscle weight.


CONCLUSIONS
Results collected exclude a role for TLQP-21 in modulating the GH/IGF1-axis and muscle functions. VGF-derived peptides involved in the dwarf phenotype of VGF-/- mice have to be identified yet.
Bartolomucci
A
A
Institute of Neuroscience, CNR, Rome, Italy. bartolomucci@biol.unipr.it
Rigamonti
A E
AE
Bulgarelli
I
I
Torsello
A
A
Locatelli
V
V
Pavone
F
F
Levi
A
A
Possenti
R
R
Muller
E E
EE
Moles
A
A
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000502:physiology*; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000187:drug effects*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D010446:Peptide Fragments; C522412:TLQP-21 peptide; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone