Thyrotropin releasing hormone in the pancreas of newborn rats from streptozotocin-treated mothers

The effect of maternal diabetes (induced by i.p. injections of 40-50 mg/kg BW Streptozotocin on the day of mating) on TRH in the pancreas of newborn rats was studied. Determination of peptide alpha amidation activity and TRH precursor level on the day of birth revealed decreased biosynthesis of TRH resulting in profoundly (10 times) lower pancreatic TRH and TRH-OH concentrations in pups of diabetic rats. Pancreatic His-Pro-diketopiperazine (His-Pro-DKP) remained unaffected by maternal diabetes. The depression of pancreatic TRH was less profound 24 h later, and even elevated TRH was measured in the pancreas of pups of diabetic mothers on postnatal day 5. Short term postnatal starvation or nursing of intact pups by the diabetic foster mother did not affect pancreatic TRH. It could be postulated that postnatal TRH development in the rat pancreas is retarded by maternal diabetes, while His-Pro-DKP remains unaltered.     

TRH and TRH-OH in the pancreas of adult and newborn rats

TRH and its metabolite TRH-OH have been measured by specific radioimmunoassays in acid extracts of pancreas in adults and developing rats. TRH and TRH-OH immunoreactivity had the same ontogenic pattern with a maximal concentration on day 4 followed by a progressive return towards adult levels on day 20. A significant linear correlation was found between TRH levels and the TRH/TRH-OH ratio. The range of TRH/TRH-OH ratio varied from 136 +/- 1.6, at the peak of concentrations of both peptides, to 18 +/- 3.9 on day 20. Pancreatic TRH and TRH-OH had the same elution pattern as corresponding synthetic peptides both on Biogel P2 and high-pressure liquid chromatography. The origin of TRH-OH as well as its potential function need further investigations.     

proTRH gene expression by fetal pancreatic islets in culture

The hypothalamic tripeptide, thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), has been detected in neonatal pancreatic tissue and localized by immunocytochemistry in the islets of Langerhans. To determine whether the TRH gene is expressed in islets, we have extracted RNA from cultured rat islets and probed for proTRH mRNA using a [32P]-labeled antisense RNA. Islet proTRH mRNA comigrated with the 1.6 kilobase proTRH mRNA present in the rat hypothalamus. Normalized to total RNA, islets cultured for 7 days contained at least 10 times more proTRH mRNA than day 1 whole pancreas. We conclude that pancreatic TRH is synthesized in situ in the islets of Langerhans. This is the first attempt to characterize and quantify proTRH mRNA using neoformed foetal islets. We propose that quantitative analysis of proTRH mRNA concentrations in this culture system will enable study of the direct regulation of TRH biosynthesis in the pancreas.     

Involvement of the autonomic nervous system in the in vivo TRH-induced increases in the plasma levels of glucagon, insulin and glucose in rabbits

Thyrotropin-releasing hormone, TRH, increases the plasma levels of glucagon, insulin, glucose and free fatty acids in rabbits. However, TRH has no direct effects on the release of hormones neither from the endocrine pancreas in humans nor from the isolated perfused rat pancreas. The aim of the present study was to investigate if the effects of TRH in rabbits were mediated by the autonomic nervous system. The TRH "Roche"-induced hyperglucagonemia was inhibited by phentolamine (an alpha-receptor blocking drug), yohimbine (an alpha-2 -receptor blocking drug) and atropine. The TRH "Roche"-induced hyperinsulinemia was inhibited by propranolol (a beta-receptor blocking drug). The TRH "Roche"-induced hyperglycemia was inhibited by all four drugs. The TRH "Roche"-induced increases in the plasma levels of free fatty acids were not inhibited by the sympathetic and parasympathetic blocking drugs. The effects of TRH "Roche" on the plasma levels of glucagon, insulin and glucose cannot be explained by increases in the plasma levels of catecholamines. TRH, given intravenously into rabbits, may possibly act on regions in the central nervous system which control carbohydrate metabolism and the release of glucagon and insulin from the endocrine pancreas by sympathetic and parasympathetic mechanisms.     

Evidence for high peptide alpha-amidation activity in the neonatal rat pancreas

A high peptide alpha-amidating activity is present in a mitochondrial/secretory granules preparation from 3-day old rat pancreas. It is dependent on copper, ascorbate and molecular oxygen. This preparation is able to generate TRH when incubated with Pyroglu-His-Pro-Gly, a sequence present in the TRH precursor molecular. The peptide alpha-amidating activity may be involved in the high rate of TRH biosynthesis in the pancreas during the neonatal period. In the pancreas of adult rats which contain low levels of TRH, the peptide alpha-amidating activity is barely detectable.     

口服AdipoRon对2型糖尿病小鼠脾脏和胰腺功能的影响

目的:观察口服AdipoRon对2型糖尿病小鼠脾脏和胰腺功能的影响,为AdipoRon的临床应用提供基础资料。方法:将40只C57/BL6雄性小鼠随机分为正常对照组(NC,n=10)和造模组(n=30),并分别给予普通饲料和高脂高糖饲料喂养。4周后,造模组小鼠腹腔注射链脲佐菌素(STZ,40 mg/kg)以诱导建立2型糖尿病模型。造模成功后将糖尿病模型小鼠随机分为糖尿病模型组(DM)、高剂量AdipoRon(50 mg/kg)(DM+H)组、低剂量AdipoRon(20 mg/kg)(DM+L)组,每组10只。DM+L组和DM+H组灌胃相应浓度的AdipoRon(使用去离子水溶解AdipoRon),NC组和DM组灌胃等体积去离子水,每日灌胃1次,灌胃10 d。末次干预后禁食12 h,处死小鼠取血液、胰腺和脾脏。HE染色光镜下观察胰腺的病理改变; ELISA法检测小鼠胰腺和脾脏组织中胰岛素受体(INSR)、胰岛素受体底物1(IRS-1)和肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)蛋白质含量;小鼠脾脏系数; Western blot法检测胰腺组织中pIRS-1蛋白质水平;实时荧光定量PCR检测胰腺组织中insulin mRNA表达。结果:光镜下可见正常组小鼠胰腺组织排列紧密、饱满、胰岛体积大,DM组小鼠胰腺组织排列较为疏散、胰岛体积较小,口服AdipoRon组小鼠胰腺组织基本紧密、饱满、胰岛体积略小。与NC比较,DM组小鼠胰腺和脾脏TNF-α水平明显升高,INSR、IRS-1水平均降低,脾脏系数、胰腺p-IRS-1蛋白质水平和insulin mRNA表达均降低,均具有统计学意义(P<0.05);与DM组比较,口服AdipoRon组小鼠胰腺和脾脏TNF-α水平明显下降,INSR和IRS-1水平均升高,脾脏系数升高,DM+H组胰腺p-IRS-1蛋白质水平和insulin mRNA表达均升高(P<0.05);与DM+L组比较,DM+H组小鼠TNF-α水平明显下降,INSR和IRS-1水平均升高(P<0.05)。结论:口服AdipoRon可通过减弱糖尿病小鼠炎症反应,上调INSR表达、提高p-IRS-1水平,从而对糖尿病小鼠脾脏和胰腺组织有一定的保护作用。     

Immunocytochemical location of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) in the B-cells of adult hypothyroid rat pancreas

Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) is present in small quantities in the rat adult pancreas. As hypothyroidism increases dramatically the pancreatic content of this peptide, this model was used to localize TRH in the gland by immunocytochemistry. Immunocytochemical staining of semithin (0.5–1.0 μm) and thin (golden) sections was performed as well as antibody and method controls to check the specificity of the immunoperoxidase staining. At the light microscope level, a very faint TRH-like immunoreactivity was apparent in the pancreas of normal untreated animals. In hypothyroid rats, a strong TRH immunostaining was observed in the central portion of the islets of Langerhans. On the contrary, in previously hypothyroid rats made euthyroid, no TRH-like immunoreactivity was found. Serial sections alternately labelled with TRH and insulin antisera revealed the simultaneous occurrence of both immunoreactivities. In addition, the TRH immunoreactive cells were distinct from glucagon- or somatostatin-containing cells. At the electron microscope level, immunoreactive TRH was found over the secretory granules of insulin-containing cells. Hypothyroid animals offer therefore a suitable model for the study of TRH in the pancreas.     

Role of endocrine pancreas in temperature acclimation

Role of endocrine pancreas in temperature acclimation in rats was investigated. Plasma glucagon level increased and insulin level decreased in cold-acclimated rats (CA). The reverse was observed in heat-acclimated rats (HA). In the pancreas there were no changes in glucagon and insulin in CA, but a decrease in glucagon and an increase in insulin were found in HA. Plasma insulin/glucagon molar ratio (I/G) declined in CA and rose in HA. Pancreatic I/G rose in HA. Acute cold exposure elevated plasma glucagon, but did not affect plasma insulin. Pancreatic glucagon, insulin and I/G were not influenced by acute cold exposure, while plasma I/G decreased. Plasma I/G was inversely correlated with both blood free fatty acids and glucose levels. These results suggest that endocrine pancreas is closely associated with metabolic acclimation to cold and heat through its regulation of the metabolic direction to catabolic phase in cold acclimation and to anabolic phase in heat acclimation.     

Identification, characterization and localization of thyrotropin-releasing hormone precursor peptides in perinatal rat pancreas

The sequence of rat hypothalamic prepro TRH, deduced from its complementary DNA, contains five TRH progenitor sequences and six cryptic sequences separated by paired basic amino acid residues. We have utilised antisera against two synthetic peptides corresponding to sequences within proTRH, [Tyr53] preproTRH (53-74), part of the amino terminal leader sequence of proTRH and [Cys 74,83] preproTRH-(75-82), representing a TRH progenitor sequence flanked by cysteine residues (pCC10) in radioimmunoassays (RIA) to identify and chromatographically characterize proTRH derived peptides in extracts of rat perinatal pancreas and to localize these peptides immunohistochemically. Two forms of immunoreactive pYT22 (ipYT22) were observed, similar in size to ipYT22 seen in extracts of adult rat brain. By RIA immunoreactive pCC10 was detectable in neonatal but not fetal pancreas. However, immunohistochemical double staining of both fetal and neonatal rat pancreas colocalized both ipYT22 and ipCC10 with immunoreactive insulin in the B-cell of the developing Islets of Langerhans. These findings indicate that the B-cell of the perinatal pancreas synthesizes TRH from a prohormone encoded by a mRNA similar to that present in adult rat hypothalamus.     

Effect of neonatal streptozotocin and thyrotropin-releasing hormone treatments on insulin secretion in adult rats

Neonatal STZ (nSTZ) treatment results in damage of pancreatic B-cells and in parallel depletion of insulin and TRH in the rat pancreas. The injury of B-cells is followed by spontaneous regeneration but dysregulation of the insulin response to glucose persists for the rest of life. Similar disturbance in insulin secretion was observed in mice with targeted TRH gene disruption. The aim of present study was to determine the role of the absence of pancreatic TRH during the perinatal period in the nSTZ model of impaired insulin secretion. Neonatal rats were injected with STZ (90 microg/g BW i.p.) and the effect of exogenous TRH (10 ng/g BW/day s.c. during the first week of life) on in vitro functions of pancreatic islets was studied at the age 12-14 weeks. RT-PCR was used for determination of prepro-TRH mRNA in isolated islets. Plasma was assayed for glucose and insulin, and isolated islets were used for determination of insulin release in vitro. The expression of prepro-TRH mRNA was only partially reduced in the islets of adult nSTZ rats when compared to controls. nSTZ rats had normal levels of plasma glucose and insulin but the islets of nSTZ rats failed to response by increased insulin secretion to stimulation with 16.7 mmol/l glucose or 50 mmol/l KCl. Perinatal TRH treatment enhanced basal insulin secretion in vitro in nSTZ animals of both sexes and partially restored the insulin response to glucose stimulation in nSTZ females.     

Dexamethasone stimulates thyrotropin-releasing hormone production in a C cell line

The hypothalamic peptide hormone TRH is also found in other tissues, including the thyroid. While TRH may be regulated by T3 in the hypothalamus, other regulators of TRH have not been identified and the regulation of TRH in nonhypothalamic tissues is unknown. We recently demonstrated the biosynthesis of TRH in the CA77 neoplastic thyroidal C cell line. We studied the regulation of TRH by dexamethasone in this cell line because glucocorticoids have been postulated to inhibit TSH secretion by decreasing TRH in the hypothalamus. Furthermore, TRH in the thyroid inhibits thyroid hormone release. Thus by regulating thyroidal TRH, glucocorticoids could also directly affect thyroid hormone secretion. Treatment of CA77 cells for 4 days with dexamethasone produced dose-dependent increases in both TRH mRNA and cellular and secreted TRH. Increases in TRH mRNA and peptide levels could be seen with 10(-9) M dexamethasone. A 4.8-fold increase in TRH mRNA and a 4-fold increase in secreted peptide were seen with 10(-7) M dexamethasone. Dexamethasone treatment did not increase beta-actin mRNA levels or cell growth. These results suggest that glucocorticoids may be physiological regulators of TRH in normal C cells. In addition to their inhibitory effects on TSH, glucocorticoids may decrease thyroid hormone levels by increasing thyroidal TRH. Since the glucocorticoid effects on C cell TRH are the converse of what is expected for hypothalamic TRH, glucocorticoid effects in these two tissues may be mediated by different regulators.     

胰岛素对胰腺外分泌功能的影响

我们用链佐霉素选择性地破坏胰岛Ｂ细胞,研究胰岛素在糖尿病大鼠胰腺外分泌功能变化中的作用。结果表明：糖尿病时,胰淀粉酶含量显著减少,胰淀粉酶ｍＲＮＡ也降低为对照组的３．２±０．５％（Ｐ＜０．０）。体外实验表明,糖尿病大鼠胰腺腺泡上１２５Ｉ－胰岛素的结合明显增多。Ｂｍａｘ由对照组的２．８±１０－９ｍｏｌ／Ｌ增加为３．５±１０－９ｍｏｌ／Ｌ（Ｐ＜０．０１）。腺泡对３Ｈ－葡萄糖的摄取,３Ｈ－亮氨酸的掺入以及腺泡膜Ｎａ＋－Ｋ＋ＡＴＰ酶的活性均比正常组明显降低（Ｐ＜０．０１）。补充胰岛素,可翻转上述变化。从而提示,胰岛素在调节胰腺外分泌功能方面具有重要作用。     

Preferential expression of reg I beta gene in human adult pancreas

In human pancreas two genes, reg I alpha and reg I beta, have been characterized but only the reg I alpha protein has been isolated from human pancreatic secretion. To examine their respective physiological roles in fetal and adult pancreas we have compared the patterns of gene expression using a specific RT-PCR method. No progressive evolution in the two mRNAs levels was observed during fetal development (16--41 weeks). A discoordinate expression of the two genes was found with a higher level of reg I alpha mRNA in fetus and a higher level of regI beta in adult. In addition, if reg I alpha mRNA level was correlated with the expression of genes encoding exocrine proteins in adults, reg I beta mRNA level presented no correlation with any ductular, endocrine, or exocrine gene expression. In human pancreatic cell lines we showed the only expression of reg I beta gene and protein. All these data suggest that the two reg genes and proteins could play different roles in the pancreas.     

Thyrotropin-releasing hormone injected intracerebroventricularly in the rat stimulates exocrine pancreatic secretion via the vagus nerve

The effects of intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of synthetic thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) and its analogue (gamma-butyrolactone-gamma-carbonyl-His-Pro-NH2) were tested in anesthetized rats fitted with pancreatic cannula. TRH injection induced dose-related increases in flow of pancreatic juice, protein output, and amylase output, each reaching a maximum within 10 min. Higher doses of TRH induced longer responses. Injection of the TRH analogue also caused dose-related secretory responses of the exocrine pancreas. The dose-related secretory responses to TRH and the TRH analogue were similar except that the responses to the highest dose of TRH analogue (1600 pmol/100 g b.w.) were significantly higher. Intravenous injection of TRH and the TRH analogue induced little, if any, secretory response of the exocrine pancreas. The effects of i.c.v. injection of TRH and the TRH analogue were completely abolished after bilateral subdiaphragmatic vagotomy. In addition to the secretory effects on the exocrine pancreas, i.c.v. injection of TRH and the analogue caused hyperglycemia, tachycardia, and tear secretion, but the intravenous injection of these peptides had no effect.     

Lack of effect of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) on the peripheral plasma levels of pancreatic glucagon in man

Based on the fact that human pancreas has thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) immunoreactivity and bioactivity, we studied the effect of TRH on peripheral plasma levels of pancreatic glucagon (IRG) and insulin (IRI) in healthy subjects. During the infusion of 400 micrograms TRH for 120 min basal plasma IRI and IRG levels did not change significantly. In addition, intravenous infusion of 400 micrograms TRH did not affect the increments in the plasma IRG levels and the decrements in the blood glucose during insulin hypoglycemia.