布氏鲳鲹GHRH基因克隆、组织和胚胎表达模式

促生长激素释放激素(growth hormone releasing hormone, GHRH)主要生物学功能是刺激垂体细胞分泌生长激素,已被证实是动物体生长轴的重要调控因子之一,布氏鲳鲹是一种生长快速的海洋鱼类,为了揭示其代谢旺盛的调节机制,本研究从GHRH入手,利用RACE技术和qPCR方法对布氏鲳鲹GHRH基因进行了克隆、组织和胚胎表达模式研究。实验结果显示,布氏鲳鲹GHRH基因cDNA序列全长1019bp,5’UTR、3’UTR长度分别为327 bp和164 bp,开放阅读框528 bp,共编码175个氨基酸;同源性分析结果表明,布氏鲳鲹GHRH基因与其它鲈形目鱼类的同源性在91%以上。布氏鲳鲹GHRH基因的表达区域大多都集中在中枢系统,其中下丘脑表达量最高;GHRH在受精卵期到后续发育过程中均检测到表达,其表达水平在仔鱼期达到最高。序列分析、组织及胚胎表达的结果表明,布氏鲳鲹GHRH的调节模式仍然可能通过下丘脑调节垂体释放GH,GHRH在个体发育的较早阶段即开始发挥作用。本研究掌握了布氏鲳鲹GHRH基因的基本规律,为进一步研究生长轴的调控提供了理论参考。     

大口黑鲈北方亚种和佛罗里达亚种NPY基因的DNA和cDNA克隆及序列分析

神经肽Y(Neuropeptide Y,NPY)在机体的摄食活动中发挥重要作用,是哺乳动物最重要的一种内源性促食欲因子。为了解大口黑鲈(Micropterus salmoide)NPY基因的结构及进一步研究该基因在大口黑鲈中的功能作用,采用RT-PCR和RACE技术,克隆了大口黑鲈北方亚种(M.salmoides salmoides)和佛罗里达亚种(M.salmoides floridanus)NPY基因c DNA序列,结果表明两亚种NPY c DNA均包括一个编码99个氨基酸的ORF框和长度为52 bp的5'非编码区(5'-UTR);采用PCR和基因组步移技术获得了长度分别为3 561 bp和3 565 bp的大口黑鲈北方亚种和佛罗里达亚种NPY基因DNA序列。序列分析结果表明,大口黑鲈北方亚种和佛罗里达亚种NPY基因由4个外显子和3个内含子组成。经MATINSPECTOR软件预测,在北方亚种和佛罗里达亚种启动子序列分布有TATA框、CAAT框、CCAAT-Box、GATA-Box等基本转录调控元件。实验在大口黑鲈两亚种NPY DNA序列间发现了6个单个位点碱基差异,与大口黑鲈北方亚种相比佛罗里达亚种启动子区域出现一个4个碱基的插入。不同物种间NPY基因的序列同源性分析表明大口黑鲈与鳜鱼和石斑鱼的NPY基因核苷酸同源性最高,达90%和88%,氨基酸同源性分别为93%和95%。     

生长激素释放肽的结构和功能

生长激素释放肽(growth hormone releasing peptide,Ghrelin,GHRP),是最近发现的可以促进GH分泌的肽激素,主要来源于胃,有28个氨基酸残基,其第三位氨基酸残基(一般是丝氨酸)被脂肪酸修饰,实验证明被修饰的N端是其活性核心部位。该文介绍ghrelin的主要结构和生物学功能。     

石斑鱼垂体腺苷酸环化酶激活多肽和生长激素释放激素基因的cDNA克隆及表达分析

垂体腺苷酸环化酶激活多肽 (PACAP)和生长激素释放激素 (GHRH)均属于血管活性肠肽家族成员 ,且两者前体基因在脊椎动物的鸟类、两栖类、鱼类中由同一基因编码 ,而哺乳动物是由两个不同基因编码。已有几例关于鱼类编码PACAP和GHRH基因克隆的报道 ,而关于重要海水养殖鱼类石斑鱼的PACAP和GHRH基因未见报道。克隆了PACAP GHRH前体cDNA序列 ,该前体有两种剪接方式 ,包括一个长序列和一个短序列 ,其中长序列编码PACAP和GHRH ,短序列缺失 10 5个碱基 ,仅编码PACAP而缺失编码GHRH的外显子区 ,同样情况在虹鳟和沟鲶中也有报道。通过半定量RT PCR方法对石斑鱼PACAP GHRH前体mRNA在胚胎发育和发育早期以及各部位的表达情况进行了分析。胚胎发育分析结果表明 ,从神经胚期开始 ,PACAP GHRH前体mRNA大量表达 ,提示该蛋白质在神经发育或神经营养方面具有重要作用。PACAP GHRH前体基因在中枢系统的表达量远高于外周组织。在鱼类的眼和鳃发现PACAP GHRH前体分布。     

大口黑鲈脂代谢相关基因NPY、UCP2、LPL、HL克隆与分子进化分析

采用RT-PCR和RACE方法克隆了大口黑鲈NPY基因cDNA全序列及UCP2、LPL、HL基因cDNA核心片段。序列分析结果表明,大口黑鲈NPY基因cDNA全序列长664 bp,其中5′端非翻译区(5′-UTR)长53 bp,3′端非翻译区(3′-UTR)长311 bp,开放阅读框(ORF)长300 bp,编码99个氨基酸,即前体NPY。大口黑鲈前体NPY包括三个部分,28个氨基酸组成的信号肽、36氨基酸组成的成熟NPY以及32个氨基酸组成的由Gly-Lys-Arg指示的NPY C端肽（CPON）。大口黑鲈UCP2、LPL、HL基因cDNA核心片段长度分别为737 bp、509 bp和666 bp,各自编码245个氨基酸、169个氨基酸和222个氨基酸。将4个基因的氨基酸序列分别与其他物种的氨基酸序列进行同源性比较,并通过MEGA3构建系统树,对这4个脂代谢相关基因的分子进化特征进行了探讨。     

革胡子鲶生长激素cDNA克隆与蛋白质结构分析

从革胡子鲶(Clarias lazera(Burchell))的脑垂体组织中提取总RNA, 应用RT-PCR方法, 扩增得到了革胡子鲶生长激素(Growth hormone, GH)基因cDNA的开放阅读框(Open reading frame, ORF)序列。ORF全长为603 nt, 编码由22个信号肽氨基酸和178个成熟肽氨基酸共同组成的生长激素前体蛋白。序列同源比较结果表明, 研究中得到的革胡子鲶生长激素氨基酸序列与GenBank中已报道的其他6种鲶形目鱼类的氨基酸序列同源性高达95.8%。二级结构预测分析结果表明, 革胡子鲶生长激素蛋白中含有a 螺旋、b 折叠和b 转角以及无规卷曲等二级结构, 以a 螺旋为主, 是典型的a 型结构蛋白质。此外, 抗原性分析表明, 在氨基酸序列中的4个区域均可形成优势抗原表位, 其结构特点非常适合改造成为重组生长激素疫苗或单克隆抗体制剂加以开发利用。     

慢病毒载体介导GHRH基因在小鼠肌肉组织表达及对动物生长的影响

人与动物体内生长激素受生长激素释放激素(Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone,GHRH)与生长激素抑制激素(Somatostatin,SST)两种因子共同调节,在体内表达外源GHRH,可以提高体内GH基础水平,进而达到促进体内GH释放,加速动物生长的效果.对慢病毒载体系统加以改造,使之成为C...     

酰化型和去酰化型ghrelin可促进人内脏脂肪细胞的脂质积聚

Ghrelin是主要由胃分泌的含28个氨基酸残基的多肽,是生长激素促分泌受体(growth hormone secretagogue receptor,GHS-R)的内源性配体.     

大口黑鲈amh基因全长cDNA克隆、表达及多克隆抗体制备

为研究大口黑鲈(Micropterus salmoides)抗缪勒氏管激素(amh)基因的表达及其在性腺发育中的潜在作用,研究利用RACE技术克隆得到了大口黑鲈amh基因,并制备Amh多克隆抗体,通过qRT-PCR、Western Blot分析Amh在大口黑鲈不同组织和不同发育阶段性腺中的表达模式,最后利用HE染色法和免疫组化观察不同发育阶段性腺的形态组织学变化及其与Amh表达的潜在关系。结果显示:大口黑鲈amh基因cDNA序列全长2050 bp,由24 bp5′非编码区、394 bp3′非编码区和1632 bp的开放阅读框组成,共编码543个氨基酸。amh基因mRNA在大口黑鲈11个组织中均有表达,其中雄鱼精巢中表达量最高,肌肉次之,雌鱼卵巢中表达量最高,肌肉次之。amh基因在雌雄鱼不同发育阶段的性腺中表达存在显著差异,精巢中表达量均显著高于卵巢(P<0.05)。同时, Western Blot结果显示Amh蛋白在精巢中表达丰度较高。amh基因在精巢中的表达量呈先上升后下降的趋势,且在孵化后65d鱼精巢中其表达量达到最高(P<0.05),免疫组化结果显示Amh表达于早期精...     

鲫两种不同生长激素cDNA的分子克隆和分析

从鲫脑垂体组织提取总RNA ,采用 3′RACE PCR的方法 ,从单一垂体总RNA中扩增出编码两种不同类型鲫生长激素的cDNA :生长激素Ⅰ (GrowthhormoneⅠ ,GHⅠ )和生长激素Ⅱ (GrowthhormoneⅡ ,GHⅡ )。将两种类型的鲫GHcDNA分别克隆到pGEM TEasyVector上进行序列测定和分析。克隆的鲫GHⅠ和GHⅡcDNA均包括编码 188个氨基酸残基的GH成熟肽序列和 3′端的非翻译区 ,但不含信号肽序列和 5′端非编码区。序列分析结果表明 ,鲫GHⅠ的碱基序列和推测的氨基酸序列与国外已经发表的金鱼GHⅠ的同源性分别为 98 7%和 97 9% ;GHⅡ的碱基序列和推测的氨基酸序列与金鱼GHⅡ的同源性分别为 99 1%和 99 5% ,虽然同源性较高 ,但仍具有一定的差异     

Potentiating effects of GHRH analogs on the response to chemotherapy

Growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) from hypothalamus nominatively stimulates growth hormone release from adenohypophysis. GHRH is also produced by cancers, acting as an autocrine/paracrine growth factor. This growth factor function is seen in lymphoma, melanoma, colorectal, liver, lung, breast, prostate, kidney, bladder cancers. Pituitary type GHRH receptors and their splice variants are also expressed in these malignancies. Synthetic antagonists of the GHRH receptor inhibit proliferation of cancers. Besides direct inhibitory effects on tumors, GHRH antagonists also enhance cytotoxic chemotherapy. GHRH antagonists potentiate docetaxel effects on growth of H460 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and MX-1 breast cancer plus suppressive action of doxorubicin on MX-1 and HCC1806 breast cancer. We investigated mechanisms of antagonists on tumor growth, inflammatory signaling, doxorubicin response, expression of drug resistance genes, and efflux pump function. Triple negative breast cancer cell xenografted into nude mice were treated with GHRH antagonist, doxorubicin, or their combination. The combination reduced tumor growth, inflammatory gene expression, drug-resistance gene expression, cancer stem-cell marker expression, and efflux-pump function. Thus, antagonists increased the efficacy of doxorubicin in HCC1806 and MX-1 tumors. Growth inhibition of H460 NSCLC by GHRH antagonists induced marked downregulation in expression of prosurvival proteins K-Ras, COX-2, and pAKT. In HT-29, HCT-116 and HCT-15 colorectal cancer lines, GHRH antagonist treatment caused cellular arrest in S-phase of cell cycle, potentiated inhibition of in vitro proliferation and in vivo growth produced by S-phase specific cytotoxic agents, 5-FU, irinotecan and cisplatin. This enhancement of cytotoxic therapy by GHRH antagonists should have clinical applications.     

Masculinization of growth hormone (GH) secretory pattern by dihydrotestosterone is associated with augmentation of hypothalamic somatostatin and GH-releasing hormone mRNA levels in ovariectomized adult rats.

The role of androgen in the sexual dimorphism in hypothalamic growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone (GHRH) and somatostatin (SS) gene expression was examined in rats. In the first study, the SS and GHRH mRNA levels were measured in both male and female rats at 4, 6, 8, and 10 weeks of age. A significant sex-related difference in the SS and GHRH mRNA levels was observed after 8 weeks of age, when sexual maturation is fully attained. Male rats had higher SS and GHRH mRNA levels than the female rats. In the second study, adult ovariectomized rats received daily injection of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), nonaromatizable testosterone, at a dose of 2 mg/rat for 21 days. The DHT treatment masculinized the GH secretory pattern, which was indistinguishable from that of intact male rats, and simultaneously augmented the SS and GHRH mRNA levels. The DHT treatment of ovariectomized rats after hypophysectomy significantly raised the level of SS mRNA, but not that of GHRH mRNA compared to the control animals. These findings suggest that the activation of the SS gene expression through androgen receptor plays an important role in the maintenance of sexual dimorphism in GH secretion in rats.     

Hypothalamic-pituitary somatotropic function in prepubertal hypothyroid rats: effect of growth hormone replacement therapy.

The effect of thyroid hormone deficiency and growth hormone (GH) treatment on hypothalamic GH-releasing hormone (GHRH)/somatostatin (SS) concentrations, GHRH/SS mRNA levels, and plasma GH and somatomedin-C (IGF-I) concentrations were studied in 28- and 35-day-old rats made hypothyroid by giving dams propylthiouracil in the drinking water since the day of parturition. Hypothyroid rats, at both 28 and 35 days of life, had decreased hypothalamic GHRH content and increased GHRH mRNA levels, unaltered SS content and SS mRNA levels, and reduced plasma GH and IGF-I concentrations. Treatment of hypothyroid rats with GH for 14 days completely restored hypothalamic GHRH content and reversed the increase in GHRH mRNA, but did not alter plasma IGF-I concentrations. These data indicate that, in hypothyroid rats, the changes in hypothalamic GHRH content and gene expression are due to the GH deficiency ensuing from the hypothyroid state. Failure of the GH treatment to increase plasma IGF-I indicates that the feedback regulation on GHRH neurons is operated by circulating GH and/or perhaps tissue but not plasma IGF-I concentrations. Presence of low plasma IGF-I concentrations would be directly related to thyroid hormone deficiency.     

斑点叉尾GHRH基因3个SNPs位点及其单倍型组合与生长性状的关联分析

研究旨在探讨生长激素释放激素基因（Growth hormone-releasing hormone,GHRH）对斑点叉尾鲖（Ictalurus punctatus）生长性状的影响。采用DNA混池测序法筛选GHRH基因的单核苷酸多态性（Singlenucleotide polymorphisms,SNPs）位点,使用SNaPshot法将筛选到的SNPs多态性位点进行分型,并对这些位点进行连锁不平衡和单倍型分析。结果表明,在GHRH基因内含子区域共检测到4个SNPs位点,并成功地对3个位点进行了分型,3个位点间均不存在强连锁不平衡;3个SNPs位点在176尾斑点叉尾鲖中形成了6种有效单倍型。关联分析表明SNP位点g.6301 GA的AA基因型的体质量显著性地高于AG和GG型（P0.05）,比群体的平均体质量高14%。单倍型组合H1/H4和H1/H5个体的体质量和体长极显著性地高于其他单倍型组合（P0.01）,体质量比群体平均体质量分别高30%和15%,体长比群体平均体长分别高7%和6%。研究为斑点叉尾鲖生长性状分子标记辅助选育和QTL定位提供了参考依据。     

Estrogen and androgen elicit growth hormone release via dissimilar patterns of hypothalamic neuropeptide secretion

The dimorphic pattern of growth hormone (GH) secretion and somatic growth in male and female mammals is attributable to the gonadal steroids. Whether these hormones mediate their effects solely on hypothalamic neurons, on somatotropes or on both to evoke the gender-specific GH secretory patterns has not been fully elucidated. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of 17beta-estradiol, testosterone and its metabolites on release of GH, GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) and somatostatin (SRIF) from bovine anterior pituitary cells and hypothalamic slices in an in vitro perifusion system. Physiological concentrations of testosterone and estradiol perifused directly to anterior pituitary cells did not affect GH releases; whereas, dihydrotestosterone and 5alpha-androstane-3alpha, 17beta-diol increased GH. Perifusion of testosterone at a pulsatile rate, and its metabolites and estradiol at a constant rate to hypothalamic slices in series with anterior pituitary cells increased GH release. The androgenic hormones increased GHRH and SRIF release from hypothalamus; whereas, estradiol increased GHRH but decreased SRIF release. Our data show that estradiol and the androgens generated distinctly different patterns of GHRH and SRIF release, which in turn established gender-specific GH patterns.     

Induction of growth hormone (GH) mRNA by pulsatile GH-releasing hormone in rats is pattern specific

Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) is a main inducer of growth hormone (GH) pulses in most species studied to date. There is no information regarding the pattern of GHRH secretion as a regulator of GH gene expression. We investigated the roles of the parameters of exogenous GHRH administration (frequency, amplitude, and total amount) upon induction of pituitary GH mRNA, GH content, and somatic growth in the female rat. Continuous GHRH infusions were ineffective in altering GH mRNA levels, GH stores, or weight gain. Changing GHRH pulse amplitude between 4, 8, and 16 microg/kg at a constant frequency (Q3.0 h) was only moderately effective in augmenting GH mRNA levels, whereas the 8 microg/kg and 16 microg/kg dosages stimulated weight gain by as much as 60%. When given at a 1.5-h frequency, GHRH doubled the amount of GH mRNA, elevated pituitary GH stores, and stimulated body weight gain. In the rat model, pulsatile but not continuous GHRH administration is effective in inducing pituitary GH mRNA and GH content as well as somatic growth. These studies suggest that the greater growth rate, pituitary mRNA levels, and GH stores seen in male compared with female rats are likely mediated, in part, by the endogenous episodic GHRH secretory pattern present in males.     

Cutting edge: Requirement for growth hormone-releasing hormone in the development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone (GHRH) is a neuropeptide that stimulates secretion of GH from the pituitary gland. Although GHRH and its receptor (GHRHR) are expressed in leukocytes, physiological function of GHRH in the immune system remains unclear. To study the influence of GHRH in autoimmunity, susceptibility to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) was examined in C57BL/6J-Ghrhr(lit/lit) (lit/lit), mice deficient in the GHRHR gene. We found that lit/lit mice were resistant to myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-induced EAE. Splenocytes from MOG-immunized lit/lit mice proliferated normally in response to MOG peptide, suggesting that activation of MOG-specific T cells in GHRHR-deficient mice is not impaired. Our data strongly suggest that GHRH plays a crucial role in the development of EAE and may provide the basis for a novel therapeutic approach protecting from autoimmune diseases.