Lack of growth hormone-releasing peptide-6 action on in vivo and in vitro growth hormone secretion in sexually immature and grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus)

Abstract

Studies in mammals have shown that synthetic Met-enkephalin derivatives, called growth hormone-releasing peptides (GHRPs), stimulate growth hormone (GH) release. In the present study, GHRP-6 action on GH secretion was examined in vivo and in vitro in sexually immature grass carp. GHRP-6 injected intraperitoneally had no influences on serum GH levels in juvenile grass carp. Following intraperitonal injection of GHRP-6 and dopamine (DA) or cysteamine hydrochloride (CSH), alone and in combination into juvenile grass carp, DA and CSH were effective in elevating serum GH levels, but GHRP-6 was not effective in this respect; in addition, the synergistic action of GHRP-6 and DA or CSH on GH secretion was not seen. In this work, we had adapted and validated a perifusion system and a culture system for GH regulation studies. In a perifusion system, GHRP-6 (1000 to 0.1 nM), GHRP-6 (0.1 to 1000 nM), GHRP-6 (1 μM), and Hexarelin (an analog of GHRP, 1 μM) had no action on GH release from juvenile grass carp pituitary fragments or cells. Under static incubation conditions, GHRP-6 was inactive on GH release from juvenile grass carp pituitary fragments after 1 h and 6 h incubation, but human growth hormone-releasing hormone (hGHRH; 1 to 100 nM) as positive control could stimulate GH release in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, when GHRP-6 (100 nM) in combination static incubation with neuropeptides [e.g., hGHRH (100 nM), salmon gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (sGnRH-A) (100 nM), or D-Ala 6,Pro 9- NEt-luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (D-Ala 6,Pro 6-NEt-LHRH, LHRH-A) (100nM)], GHRP-6 did not strengthen GH secretion actions of neuropeptides, and at the same time neuropeptides also did not modify the effects of GHRP-6 on GH secretion. The present results obtained using in vivo and in vitro techniques adapted for GH regulation studies show that GHRP-6 does not function as a GH-releasing factor in juvenile grass carp as it does in tilapia, amphibians, chickens, and mammals.