Abstract
Abstract
A Met5-enkephalin analog, FK33-824 (5, 10 and 20 ug/100 g body wt, iv) caused a dose-related increase in plasma growth hormone (GH) in urethane-anesthetized male rats. Pretreatmentwith cysteamine (30 mg/100 g body wt, sc), a depletor of hypothalamic somatostatin, increased the plasma GH response to FK33-824 (10 ug/100 g body wt, iv). Antiserum specific for rat GH-releasing factor (GRF)(0.5 ml/rat, iv) blunted GH release induced by FK33-824 (10 ug/100 g body wt, iv) in rats with or without cysteamine pretreatment. These results suggest that GH secretion induced by the opioid peptide is mediated, at least in part, by hypothalamic GRF in the rat.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.