Regulation of Basal and Nursing-Induced Secretion of Growth Hormone in the Neonatal Rat: The Involvement of Serotonergic, Muscarinic Cholinergic, Alpha2-Adrenergic, Somatostatin and Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone Systems

Various neural factors are involved in the suckling-induced increase in serum growth hormone (GH) levels in neonatal rats, and, in the present study the serotonergic, cholinergic, somatostatin and GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) systems were investigated. The serotonin (5-HT) precursor 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan (5-HTP) and the 5-HT receptor agonist quipazine maleate stimulated serum GH levels in 2-day-old rat pups separated from their mothers for 6 h. The increase in serum GH during suckling was further elevated by 5-HTP. The 5-HT antagonist cyproheptadine decreased serum GH levels in separated 2-day-old pups, and although it reduced the amplitude of the suckling-induced increase in serum GH concentration, it did not alter the increase in serum GH on a percentage basis. The effect of the cholinergic muscarinic antagonist atropine sulfate (ATR) was similar to that of cyproheptadine. Moreover, in separated pups, ATR prevented the increase in serum GH induced by 5-HTP. In contrast with 2-day-old pups, ATR completely eliminated the suckling-induced release of GH in 10-day-old rats. However, ATR failed to prevent GH release induced by the α₂-adrenergic agonist clonidine HCI in 10-day-old male pups. While thyrotropin-releasing hormone increased serum GH levels, rat GHRH failed to alter serum GH levels either in separated or in suckled 2-day-old rat pups. Immunoneutralization for rat GHRH eliminated the increase in serum GH induced by clonidine HCI in 10-day-old pups, but (on a percentage basis) failed to prevent the GH-increasing effect of suckling in 2-day-old pups. While somatostatin failed to significantly decrease serum GH in separated 2-day-old pups, it effectively decreased serum GH levels in 2-day-old pups which were suckled. Cysteamine, which depletes hypothalamic somatostatin, increased serum GH in separated 2-day-old pups, and further increased the suckling-induced levels of serum GH. Cysteamine partially prevented the GH-decreasing effect of ATR. The present findings suggest that 1) the serotonergic and cholinergic systems are involved in the regulation of GH secretion as early as day 2 postpartum; 2) the serotonergic and cholinergic systems modulate the basal, and do not modulate the suckling-induced levels of serum GH; 3) the serotonergic system may exert its stimulatory influence on GH secretion only in the presence of a functional muscarinic cholinergic system; 4) the cholinergic system, at least in part, stimulates GH secretion via a cysteamine-sensitive system (probably by inhibiting somatostatin); 5) the cholinergic system is not functionally coupled with the α₂-adrenergic system, which stimulates GH secretion via rat GHRH; 6) since in 10-day-old pups clonidine HCI was effective only in males, while suckling was effective in both sexes, the α₂-adrenergic system is not involved in the suckling-induced increase of serum GH; and finally 7) neither somatostatin nor rat GHRH seem to be involved in the suckling-induced changes in serum GH. The findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the high circulating GH levels in the neonatal rat are due to alternative GH-releasing factors, perhaps thyrotropin-releasing hormone or γ-aminobutyric acid. The neurohumoral mediator of the suckling-induced GH release in neonatal rats remains to be identified.     

Safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic study of recombinant human parathyroid hormone in healthy male Chinese subjects

AIM： To determine the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic parameters of a new drug recombinant human parathyroid hormone [ rhPTH （1-84）] in healthy male Chinese subjects. METHODS： domly divided Thirty-six healthy male volunteers were rangroups received into 3 groups. The volunteers in these single subcutaneous injection of rhPTH （ 1-84） in a dosage of 1, 2 and 4 μg/kg respectively. Blood samples were obtained before and after administration within 24 hours. The rhPTH concentrations in sennn were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The pharmacokinetic parameters determined with use of standard noncompartmental analysis were the maximum serum concentration （ Cmax ）, the time to attain that concentration （ tmax ）, and the area under the serum concentration-time curve up to 24 hours（ AUC0-24 ） and up to infinity （AUC0-∞）. Dose proportionality of pharmacokinetic parameters （AUC, Cmax of every volunteer of each dosage and A UC was computed from log transformed data） and was examined by mean of analysis of variance （ANOVA） using SPSS software package. In the study, subjects＇ symptoms, objective signs, and vital signs, including blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate and body temperature, were checked and 12-lead electrocardiography was recorded before and after drug administration within 24 hours. Routine laboratory tests, including hematology, blood biochemistry, serum electrolyte, and urinalysis, were performed before and after drug administration within at 24 hours.[第一段]     

Parathyroid hormone decreases in vivo insulin effect on glucose utilization

Hyperparathyroidism is associated with impaired glucose tolerance, and parathyroidectomy may improve carbohydrate homeostasis. It has been suggested that parathyroid hormone (PTH) suppresses insulin secretion but it is unclear whether it also interferes with the peripheral action of insulin. To evaluate in vivo effects of PTH on insulinmediated glucose utilization, 15 male Sprague Dawley rats were continuously infused with rat PTH (1–34) using an Alzet miniosmotic pump at a rate of 0.03 nm/hour. Controls were infused with the vehicle alone. Following 5 days of PTH infusion, plasma calcium (Ca) levels were higher in the PTH-infused rats (12.3±0.2 versus 9.9±0.1 mg/dl, P<0.01). On the 5th day, glucose (700 mg/kg) and insulin (0.175 U/kg) were given as a bolus infusion through the left femoral vein, blood samples were obtained from the right femoral vein, and plasma glucose and insulin were measured at basal (0 minutes) and at 2, 5, 10, and 20 minutes postinfusion. Basal, nonfasting glucose levels were higher (166±4 versus 155±4 mg/dL, P<0.04) in the PTH-infused rats but their insulin levels were similar to those of controls (6.5±0.6 versus 5.6 ±0.5 ng/ml). Postinfusions and maximal (2 minutes) glucose and insulin levels were similar in both groups. However, although insulin levels were similar in both groups at all measured time points, glucose levels at 20 minutes were higher in the PTH-treated rats (205±13 versus 173±9; P<0.03). Also, calculated glucose disappearance rates (Kg) were decreased in the PTH-infused rats (4.05±0.3 versus 4.63±0.8; P=0.054), suggesting an impaired peripheral effect of insulin on glucose utilization. To gain insight into the potential contribution of the hypercalcemia or the PTH to these abnormalities, correlation evaluations were performed. Only in PTH-infused rats did plasma Ca correlate with plasma glucose at 0 and 20 minutes (r=0.6, P=0.02; r=0.7, P=0.01) and with the area under the glucose curve (r=0.6, P=0.03) during the glucose-insulin infusion. Also only in PTH-infused rats did PTH correlate with 0 (P=0.07) and 20-minute (P=0.02) plasma glucose levels. There was no correlation between either Ca or PTH and basal insulin levels or the area under the insulin curve in either group. Consequently, we suggest that in the rat, PTH infusion associated with hypercalcemia impairs insulin effect on glucose utilization in vivo and this defect may be induced by the Ca, PTH, or both.This study was presented in part at the 76th Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society, Anaheim, CA, USA, June 1994.     

Effects of tumor necrosis factor alpha on parathyroid hormone-induced increases in osteoblastic cell cyclic AMP

Summary Tumor necrosis factor α (10⁻¹⁰–10⁻⁸M) had no effects on cyclic AMP production by the osteoblastic osteosarcomal cells, Saos-2 and G292, or normal rat calvarial cells. The cytokine did, however, inhibit the parathyroid hormone (PTH)-induced effect on cyclic AMP in the Saos-2 and normal rat osteoblastic cells. This inhibitory effect did not occur on prostaglandin E₂-induced cyclic AMP increases in the osteoblastic cells. Interleukin-1 (10 U/ml −100 U/ml) did not produce any effect on basal levels or PTH-induced cyclic AMP increases in these cells.     

Effects of androgen treatment in impotent men with normal and low levels of free testosterone

The relation between sexual function and serum free testosterone (fT) levels, which represent the active fraction of circulating testosterone, was evaluated. Two groups of impotent male subjects with mild hypogonadism were treated with oral testosterone undecanoate (TU); these men presented with tT/luteinizing hormone (LH) ratio and tT levels at the lower limits of normal. The first group had serum fT below 6.6 ng/ml, considered the lower normal value, according to our laboratory method, whereas the second group had normal fT limits. Administration of TU improved sexual function only in impotent men with low fT levels, but not in subjects with normal fT levels, even though the tT levels and the tT/LH ratio of the two groups were not significantly different. The results of our study suggest the presence of a minimun serum fT threshold, lying near the lower normal range, which determines the male sexual function. Moreover, serum fT levels were a more sensitive index than tT for identifying impotent men who can be successfully treated with androgens.     

促甲状腺素释放激素类似物YM14673对小鼠学习记忆的影响

采用小鼠跳台法评价促甲状腺素释放激素类似物ＹＭ１４６７３（ｉｐ１ｍｇ·ｋｇ－１）对正常成年小鼠被动回避学习记忆成绩的影响．结果表明ＹＭ１４６７３对东莨菪碱，氯霉素和乙醇造成的小鼠记忆获得，巩固及再现障碍均有明显的改善作用．     

增产菊胺酯对雄性小鼠生殖激素的影响

为了探讨增产菊胺酯引起小鼠精了生成障碍的可能机理，本文研究了增产菊胺酯对雄性小鼠卵泡刺激素（ＦＳＨ）、黄体生成素（ＬＨ）及睾酮（Ｔ）的影响。小鼠经口染毒，隔天一次，连续１０次，第３５天处死。检验因清ＦＳＨ、ＬＨ没有明显变化，而睾丸组织睾酮含量出现剂理依赖性降低，高剂量组与对照组比较有显著性差异（Ｐ〈０．０５），结果表明，增产菊胺酯不影响ＦＳＨ、ＬＨ，而影响Ｔ的合成和分泌。这可能是增产菊胺酯对小鼠精     

Nociceptin (Orphanin FQ) abolishes gestational and ovarian sex steroid-induced antinociception and induces hyperalgesia

Nociceptin (Orphanin FQ) is a newly discovered endogenous heptadecapeptide substrate for the opioid-receptor-like 1 receptor, a G protein coupled receptor that bears striking amino acid sequence homology to opiate receptors. In rats, intrathecal (i.t.) administration of nociceptin is without effect on basal thresholds for responsiveness to electric foot shock. However, during either late gestation or its hormonal simulation, when nociceptive thresholds are elevated by approximately 70%, i.t. nociceptin substantially attenuates jump thresholds in a dose-dependent fashion. This hypoalgesic effect of nociceptin is not limited to attenuating the gestational or sex steroid-induced increment in pain thresholds. Following the highest i.t. dose of nociceptin employed (20 nmol), the gestational or sex steroid-induced increment in jump thresholds is not only abolished but a significant hyperalgesia is observed. These results underscore the importance of the hormonal milieu to nociceptin hypoalgesic sensitivity. The potential contribution of spinal nociceptive pathways that utilize nociceptin to the etiology of extraordinary painful pregnancy and labor should not be ignored.     

Changes of circulating TNF and its effects on Pseudomonas aeruginosa septic shock in rabbits

Itiswellknownthatcertaincytokinesplayapivotalroleinthedevelopmentoftraumaandshock.Tumornecrosisfactor(TNF)isapolypep-tiedcytokinesynthesizedinmonocytesandmacrophagesinresponsetolipopolysaccharide(LPS)stimulation-TherelationshipbetweenTNFandendotoxic-septicshockbecomesafocusoftheresearchofshockmediators[1'2].Alargeamountofexperimentalandclinicaldata[3-9JsuggestthatTNFplaysanimportantroleinthepathogenesisofendotoxic-septicshockbuttheprecisemechanismandtherelationshipofTNFtoshockseverityrem…     

The effects of running and meditation on beta-endorphin, corticotropin-releasing hormone and cortisol in plasma, and on mood

The relations between three hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis, beta-endorphin (β-EP), corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and cortisol, and mood change were examined in 11 elite runners and 12 highly trained meditators matched in age, sex, and personality. Despite metabolic differences between running and meditation, we predicted that mood change after these activities would be similar when associated with similar hormonal change. Compared to pre-test and control values, mood was elevated after both activities but not significantly different between the two groups at post-test. There were significant elevations of β-EP and CRH after running and of CRH after meditation, but no significant differences in CRH increases between groups. CRH was correlated with positive mood changes after running and meditation. Cortisol levels were generally high but erratic in both groups. We conclude that positive affect is associated with plasma CRH immunoreactivity which itself is significantly associated with circulating β-EP supporting a role for CRH in the release of β-EP. Increased CRH immunoreactivity following meditation indicates, however, that physical exercise is not an essential requirement for CRH release.