重组生长激素对猪生长激素受体和胰岛素样生长因子1基因表达及血清瘦蛋白水平的影响

16头长白×大约克去势公猪, 随机分成试验组和对照组, 每天注射重组猪生长激素(rpGH, 每头每天4 mg) 或生理盐水, 28 d后采样. 用RIA法测定血清中胰岛素样生长因子1(IGF-Ⅰ)和瘦蛋白含量, 用反转录多聚酶链式反应(RT-PCR)方法, 以18S rRNA作内标, 定量分析肝脏、肌肉生长激素受体 (GHR) 和IGF-ⅠmRNA的相对丰度.结果显示: (ⅰ) 试验组平均日增重提高26.1% ( P <0.05); (ⅱ)血清IGF-Ⅰ水平提高70.94% (P<0.01), 血清瘦蛋白降低34.80%(P<0.01); (ⅲ) 肝脏GHR mRNA增加24.45% (P < 0.05), IGF-ⅠmRNA增加45.30% (P<0.01), 背最长肌GHR和IGF-Ⅰ mRNA表达无明显变化. 结果表明, 重组猪生长激素能明显提高生长猪生长性能. 上调肝脏GHR, 促进肝脏产生IGF-Ⅰ, 而对肌肉GHR和IGF-I基因表达无影响, 提示重组GH对基因表达的影响有组织特异性.     

人血浆HDL对动脉粥样硬化家兔肝细胞膜LDL受体活性影响的研究

高胆固醇饲料喂养造成的动脉粥样硬化(As)模型家兔通过静脉注射人血浆HDL制剂,观察HDL对As家兔肝细胞膜LDL受体活性的影响.结果发现,摄取高胆固醇饲料的As家兔,其肝细胞膜LDL受体K_d值虽无明显变化但B_max值显著减小（P＜0.01,与正常对照组比较);注射HDL制剂后,As家兔肝细胞膜LDL受体K_d值仍无明显改变,但B_max值却显著回升（P＜0.01,与高脂组比较).表明人血浆HDL具有增加As家兔肝细胞膜LDL受体活性的作用.     

姜黄素下调脊髓Toll样受体4及下游细胞因子减弱大鼠神经病理性痛

观察鞘内注射姜黄素对坐骨神经慢性压迫性损伤(CCI)大鼠痛阈和脊髓组织Toll样受体4(TLR4)及TNF-α、IL-1β和IL-10表达的影响．鞘内置管的120只大鼠随机均分为4组：假手术组(Sham),CCI组,溶剂对照组(SC),姜黄素治疗组(Cur,100 μg/天),建立CCI大鼠疼痛模型,术后第1、3、7、10和14天鞘内给药并测定痛阈,第3、7天取腰段脊髓第4～6节段(L4～L6)以Real-time PCR与Western blotting方法检测TLR4、HMGB1 mRNA和蛋白质的表达,ELISA法观察脊髓组织中TNF-α、IL-1β及IL-10表达变化．与Sham组相比,CCI组大鼠机械性痛阈与热痛阈显著降低(均P<0.05),同时脊髓组织TLR4、HMGB1 mRNA和蛋白质的表达明显增加(均P<0.05),TNF-α、IL-1β与IL-10的含量也明显升高(均P<0.05);鞘内注射姜黄素明显降低脊髓TLR4、高迁移率族蛋白1(HMGB1),TNF-α和IL-1β的表达,显著升高脊髓IL-10的表达,同时明显改善CCI大鼠疼痛行为(P<0.05)．姜黄素减轻神经病理性疼痛可能与下调TLR4途径促炎症因子表达有关,抑制TLR4途径有望成为治疗神经病理性疼痛的新策略．     

IGF-1抑制妊娠合并糖尿病诱导的鼠胚胎细胞凋亡

为研究妊娠合并糖尿病对孕妇及胎儿产生危害的机制,构建妊娠合并糖尿病的昆明小鼠动物模型,检测不同浓度葡萄糖对体外培养胚泡细胞生长的影响．观察不同浓度胰岛素样生长因子-1(insulin-like growth factor-1, IGF-1)对体外高糖环境胚泡细胞发育的影响,利用细胞核DNA双染实验观察不同浓度IGF-1作用下胚泡细胞的凋亡．采用实时定量PCR(RT-PCR)分析不同凋亡相关基因在体外培养胚泡中的表达情况．结果显示,随着葡萄糖浓度的增加,胚泡细胞总数减少,高浓度葡萄糖(≥30 mmol/L)则能显著性抑制胚泡细胞的生长(P < 0.01)．RT-PCR检测发现妊娠合并糖尿病小鼠的胚泡igf-1表达下调,且与葡萄糖的浓度成正相关．凋亡相关基因bcl-2和bcl-xl的表达随着体外IGF-1培养浓度的增加而表达上调,而p53基因和凋亡相关基因Bax的表达则下调．细胞凋亡实验显示,随着IGF-1浓度的增加,体外培养胚泡细胞的凋亡逐渐降低,当IGF-1浓度达到100 μg/L时,几乎未发现细胞凋亡．因此,高血糖能抑制胚泡细胞的生长发育,导致igf-1的表达下调,而IGF-1能抑制胚泡细胞的凋亡,有利于胚泡细胞的生长发育．     

乳糖作为诱导剂对人β-防御素3蛋白表达的影响*

对人β-防御素3基因工程菌株BL21-pET-hBD3的乳糖诱导条件进行了研究。乳糖浓度、诱导时间和诱导温度对菌株生长和目的蛋白表达的试验结果显示,高浓度乳糖对菌株生长有抑制作用(P<0.01),对目的蛋白的表达无显著影响(P>0.05),延长诱导时间对菌株生长有利(P<0.01),但对蛋白的表达无显著影响(P>0.05)。以0.5%乳糖在37℃诱导4h对目的蛋白的表达有利,目的蛋白的含量可达28.1%。控制好诱导条件,乳糖与IPTG的     

辽宁绒山羊IGF-Ⅰ基因5′调控区多态性与产绒性状相关

根据表型性状选取少量辽宁绒山羊个体,直接进行类胰岛素生长因子-Ⅰ(IGF-Ⅰ) 基因5′调控区克隆测序以确定单核苷酸多态(SNP)位点,共发现4个SNPs,分别是G→C (388 bp)、A→G (668 bp)、A→C (719 bp)、G→A (752 bp)的突变,导致5′调控区305～800 bp中比野生型个体减少一个CdxA转录因子结合位点,但C/EBP的值 (89.2)高于野生型 (88.5)．然后通过引入错配碱基创造酶切位点技术和多聚酶链反应-限制性片段长度多态性 (PCR-RFLP)方法,对520只辽宁绒山羊进行基因型检测,结果表明,每个SNP位点在本群体中都有AA (野生型)、AB和BB (突变型) 三种基因型,且4个SNPs位点共有13种单倍型组合．将不同SNP的基因型及单倍型组合与绒产量、绒纤维细度和绒纤维长度进行关联分析发现,SNP2位点的AA基因型绒纤维细度极显著低于AB型和BB型 (P < 0.01),而SNP4位点AA基因型产绒量显著高于AB型和BB型 (P < 0.05),单倍型组合H7H7与产绒量和绒纤维细度均有显著相关(P < 0.05)．IGF-Ⅰ基因可能是影响绒山羊产绒性状的主要候选基因．     

长白山红松不同树高处径向生长特征及其对气候的响应

利用长白山红松不同树高(0.3、1.3、4、10、15、20、25 m)处的径向生长资料,分析各树高处径向生长特征,建立红松生长与气候因子的相关关系,以期完善红松种群对气候变化的响应机制。结果表明:(1)红松不同树高处年径向生长量变化趋势基本一致,除在1980年前后,20 m处径向生长量出现异常增加外,其他各高度径向生长均出现下降趋势,红松基部和顶端(0.3、1.3 m和20 m)处径向生长年际变化更明显。随着树高增加,各处年径向生长率有所降低,0.3m处生长速率最大,且与10 m和15 m处径向生长差异显著(P < 0.05)。(2)不同树高处径向生长对气候因子的响应存在明显差异,10 m树高是红松径向生长对温度和降水响应差异的分界线。10 m以下红松径向生长主要受到生长季温度的负作用,尤其是4 m处,与当年生长季初期(4月和5月)温度显著负相关(P < 0.05)。0.3 m和1.3 m处径向生长分别与上年9月平均温度显著正相关(P < 0.05),当年6月平均和最高温度显著负相关(P < 0.05)。随着树高上升,降水对径向生长的促进作用增强,而温度对径向生长的作用也发生改变。10 m(含)以上则受到温度和降水的共同作用。10 m处径向生长对气候因子响应最敏感,受到当年生长季高温的抑制作用,还与上年和当年生长季末(9月)降水显著正相关(P < 0.05)。15 m处径向生长与上年9月最低温度和降水显著正相关(P < 0.05),而与当年5月月平均温度显著负相关(P < 0.05)。20 m处径向生长与当年3月月平均、最低和最高温度,当年7月月平均温度以及当年5月降水显著正相关(P < 0.05),而与当年1月降水显著负相关(P < 0.05)。     

犬2型腺病毒通用载体的构建及鉴定

为了获得能够携带较大外源基因的犬2型腺病毒E3区缺失性载体,以犬2型腺病毒全基因组质粒pPolyⅡ-CAV-2及E3区重组质粒pVAX-E3为基础,缺失1381bp的E3区片段(92.6%的E3区全序列),插入Linker-NF(内含NotⅠ、ClaⅠ、FseⅠ多克隆位点),获得重组载体质粒pPolyⅡ-CAV-2-ΔE3（NF）(31.9kb)。以AscⅠ和PmeⅠ双酶切,游离重组基因组,在脂质体Lipofectamine^TM 2000介导下,转染MDCK细胞系,获得了E3区缺失的重组病毒CAV-2-ΔE3（NF）。通过病毒的形态学观察,血凝性、生长特性、感染性实验证明,该重组病毒与母源病毒没有差异。重组病毒CAV-2-ΔE3（NF）可以作为载体表达外源基因,其外源基因插入片段不小于3.3kb。     

胰RNA对瘤细胞作用的研究——抑制动物体内实体瘤及提高细胞免疫的机能

¹²⁵Ⅰ-胰RNA能参入体外培养的瘤细咆中抑制DNA合成因而导致瘤细胞死亡。在以上实验基础上,我们又在动物体内注射胰RNA,观察对三种(S₁₈₀、EC、P₃₈₈)带瘤小鼠的影响,其结果:(1)抑瘤率为68.3％。(2)连续观察90天,给药组与对照组比较,两组的平均存活日数差异非常显著(P＜0.01),生命延长率为372％。(3)T.B淋巴细胞百分率及病理组织学变化,给药组与对照组比较都有明显差异。     

膜糖蛋白Ⅱb/Ⅲa单抗通过抑制HMGB1/TLR4 途径减轻ApoE-/-小鼠动脉粥样硬化

观察膜糖蛋白(GP) Ⅱb/Ⅲa 单抗对小鼠动脉粥样硬化(atherosclerosis,As)病变和HMGB1/TLR4途径基因表达变化的影响,以探讨膜糖蛋白Ⅱb/Ⅲa 受体拮抗剂对As进程的影响及其机制．30只5周龄雄性ApoE^-/-小鼠随机均分为3组：溶剂对照组(生理盐水50 μl,腹腔注射),IgG 对照组(50 μg,腹腔注射),GP Ⅱb/Ⅲa 单抗组(50 μg,腹腔注射)．实验ApoE^-/-小鼠均已高脂、高胆固醇饲料喂养,10周后处死动物．油红O染色观察主动脉窦As病变;活体荧光显微镜观察颈总动脉As病变处血小板黏附;Western blot 检测HMGB-1、TLR4与NF-κB蛋白的表达;免疫组化观察主动脉窦As病变部位MOMA-2 和VCAM-1的表达;ELISA法检测血浆中HMGB-1、IL-1β、TNF-α 与MCP-1的含量．研究结果表明：与对照组相比,GPⅡb/Ⅲa 单抗组ApoE^-/-小鼠As病变和血小板黏附显著减少(P < 0.05);且该组小鼠主动脉TLR4与NF-κB蛋白的表达明显降低;其血清中的HMGB-1、IL-1β、TNF-α 与MCP-1的水平也明显下降(P < 0.05)．此外,GP Ⅱb/Ⅲa 单抗治疗显著减少As病变处MOMA-2 和VCAM-1的表达(P < 0.05)．GP Ⅱb/Ⅲa 单抗减轻ApoE^-/-小鼠As病变可能与抑制HMGB1/TLR4途径介导的炎症有关．     

PLGA Microsphere-Mediated Growth Hormone Release Hormone Expression Induces Intergenerational Growth

To improve animal growth, growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) expression vectors that maintain constant GHRH expression can be directly injected into muscles. To deliver the GHRH expression vectors, biodegradable microspheres have been used as a sustained release system. Although administering GHRH through microspheres is a common practice, the intergenerational effects of this delivery system are unknown. To investigate the intergenerational effects of polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) encapsulated plasmid-mediated GHRH supplements, pCMV-Rep-GHRH microspheres were injected into pregnant mice. Growth and expression of GHRH were measured in the offspring. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry reveal GHRH expression 3–21 days post-injection. The proportion of GH-positive cells in the GHRH treated offspring was 48.2% higher than in the control group (P < 0.01). The GHRH treated offspring were 6.15% (P < 0.05) larger than the control offspring. At day 49 post-injection, IGF-I serum levels were significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group. This study confirms that intramuscular expression of GHRH mediated by PLGA microspheres significantly enhances intergenerational growth.     

Insights into a role of GH secretagogues in reversing the age-related decline in the GH/IGF-I axis

Growth hormone (GH) secretion and serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) decline with aging. This study addresses the role played by the hypothalamic regulators in the aging GH decline and investigates the mechanisms through which growth hormone secretagogues (GHS) activate GH secretion in the aging rats. Two groups of male Wistar rats were studied: young-adult (3 mo) and old (24 mo). Hypothalamic growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) mRNA and immunoreactive (IR) GHRH dramatically decreased (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001) in the old rats, as did median eminence IR-GHRH. Decreases of hypothalamic IR-somatostatin (SS; P < 0.001) and SS mRNA (P < 0.01), and median eminence IR-SS were found in old rats as were GHS receptor and IGF-I mRNA (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05). Hypothalamic IGF-I receptor mRNA and protein were unmodified. Both young and old pituitary cells, cultured alone or cocultured with fetal hypothalamic cells, responded to ghrelin. Only in the presence of fetal hypothalamic cells did ghrelin elevate the age-related decrease of GH secretion to within normal adult range. In old rats, growth hormone-releasing peptide-6 returned the levels of GH and IGF-I secretion and liver IGF-I mRNA, and partially restored the lower pituitary IR-GH and GH mRNA levels to those of young untreated rats. These results suggest that the aging GH decline may result from decreased GHRH function rather than from increased SS action. The reduction of hypothalamic GHS-R gene expression might impair the action of ghrelin on GH release. The role of IGF-I is not altered. The aging GH/IGF-I axis decline could be rejuvenated by GHS treatment.     

Effect of recombinant growth hormone on expression of growth hormone receptor, insulin-like growth factor mRNA and serum level of leptin in growing pigs

Growth hormone (GH) plays an important role in regulation of animal growth, metabolism and lactation[1]. Numerous studies have shown that exogenous somatotropin (ST) can increase average daily weight gain, improve feed efficiency, stimulate protein deposition and muscle growth and decrease lipid accretion rate[1]. The original somatomedin hypothesis suggested that the effect of GH on postnatal growth was mediated by insulin-like growth hormone factor 1 (IGF-I) which was thought to be deriv…     

NO plays a role in LPS-induced decreases in circulating IGF-I and IGFBP-3 and their gene expression in the liver

In this study, we administered aminoguanidine, a relatively selective inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibitor, to study the role of nitric oxide (NO) in LPS-induced decrease in IGF-I and IGFBP-3. Adult male Wistar rats were injected intraperitoneally with LPS (100 microg/kg), aminoguanidine (100 mg/kg), LPS plus aminoguanidine, or saline. Rats were injected at 1730 and 0830 the next day and killed 4 h after the last injection. LPS administration induced an increase in serum concentrations of nitrite/nitrate (P < 0.01) and a decrease in serum concentrations of growth hormone (GH; P < 0.05) and IGF-I (P < 0.01) as well as in liver IGF-I mRNA levels (P < 0.05). The LPS-induced decrease in serum concentrations of IGF-I and liver IGF-I gene expression seems to be secondary to iNOS activation, since aminoguanidine administration prevented the effect of LPS on circulating IGF-I and its gene expression in the liver. In contrast, LPS-induced decrease in serum GH was not prevented by aminoguanidine administration. LPS injection decreased IGFBP-3 circulating levels (P < 0.05) and its hepatic gene expression (P < 0.01), but endotoxin did not modify the serum IGFBP-3 proteolysis rate. Aminoguanidine administration blocked the inhibitory effect of LPS on both IGFBP-3 serum levels and its hepatic mRNA levels. When aminoguanidine was administered alone, IGFBP-3 serum levels were increased (P < 0.05), whereas its hepatic mRNA levels were decreased. This contrast can be explained by the decrease (P < 0.05) in serum proteolysis of this binding protein caused by aminoguanidine. These data suggest that iNOS plays an important role in LPS-induced decrease in circulating IGF-I and IGFBP-3 by reducing IGF-I and IGFBP-3 gene expression in the liver.     

Insulin-like growth factor-I feedback regulation of growth hormone and luteinizing hormone secretion in the pig: evidence for a pituitary site of action

Three experiments (EXP) were conducted to determine the role of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in the control of growth hormone (GH) and LH secretion. In EXP I, prepuberal gilts, 65 ± 6 kg body weight and 140 days of age received intracerebroventricular (ICV) injections of saline (n = 4), 25 μg (n = 4) or 75 μg (n = 4) IGF-I and jugular blood samples were collected. In EXP II, anterior pituitary cells in culture collected from 150-day-old prepuberal gilts (n = 6) were challenged with 0.1, 10 or 1000 nM [Ala15]-h growth hormone-releasing hormone-(1-29)NH2 (GHRH), or 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, 30 nM IGF-I individually or in combinations with 1000 nM GHRH. Secreted GH was measured at 4 and 24 h after treatment. In EXP III, anterior pituitary cells in culture collected from 150-day-old barrows (n = 5) were challenged with 10, 100 or 1000 nM gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) or 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, 30 nM IGF-I individually or in combinations with 100 nM GnRH. Secreted LH was measured at 4 h after treatment. In EXP I, serum GH and LH concentrations were unaffected by ICV IGF-I treatment. In EXP II, relative to control all doses of GHRH increased (P < 0.01) GH secretion. Only 1, 10, 30 nM IGF-I enhanced (P < 0.02) basal GH secretion at 4 h, whereas by 24 h all doses except for 30 nM IGF-I suppressed (P < 0.02) basal GH secretion compared to control wells. All doses of IGF-I in combination with 1000 nM GHRH increased (P < 0.04) the GH response to GHRH compared to GHRH alone at 4 h, whereas by 24 h all doses of IGF-I suppressed (P < 0.04) the GH response to GHRH. In EXP III, all doses of IGF-I increased (P < 0.01) basal LH levels while the LH response to GnRH was unaffected by IGF-I (P > 0.1). In conclusion, under these experimental conditions the results suggest that the pituitary is the putative site for IGF-I modulation of GH and LH secretion. Further examination of the role of IGF-I on GH and LH secretion is needed to understand the inhibitory and stimulatory action of IGF-I on GH and LH secretion.     

游泳训练对小鼠心肌PKCδ/P66shc蛋白表达的影响*

目的:探究不同强度的游泳训练对小鼠心肌P66shc蛋白的影响。方法:将50只昆明小鼠随机分为对照组(C组)、负重游泳组(E组)、负重游泳+药物组(ER组)、非负重游泳组(P组)、非负重游泳+药物组(PR组),10只/组。C组不运动,E组、ER组、P组、PR组进行4周游泳训练,其中E组、ER组以体重3%负荷进行负重游泳,P组、PR组无负重游泳,60 min/d,每周6次。ER组、PR组小鼠在最后2次运动前腹腔注射PKCδ抑制剂Rottlerin(0.3 mg/kg),C组、E组、P组注射同等剂量生理盐水。在训练结束24 h后取样,Western blot测定小鼠心肌PKCδ、P-PKCδ、P66shc、P-P66shc、NOX2蛋白表达;免疫共沉淀测PKCδ和P66shc;生化分析心肌及血清丙二醛(MDA)、心肌活性氧(ROS)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)。结果:与C组比较,E组的PKCδ、P-PKCδ、P66shc、P-P66shc、NOX2蛋白表达均明显增加(P＜0.01),血清和心肌MDA水平、心肌ROS明显增加(P＜0.05或P＜0.01),心肌SOD活性降低(P＜0.01),P组的PKCδ、P-PKCδ、P-P66shc和NOX2明显增加(P＜0.05或P＜0.01),心肌SOD活性增强(P＜0.05);与E组比较,ER组PKCδ(P＜0.01)、P-PKCδ(P＜0.01)、P66shc(P＜0.05)、P-P66shc(P＜0.01)、NOX2(P＜0.05)蛋白表达明显减少,P组P66shc蛋白表达显著减少(P＜0.05),心肌MDA(P＜0.01)和ROS(P＜ 0.05)减少,SOD活性增强(P＜0.01);与P组比较,PR组的PKCδ、P-PKCδ、P-P66shc蛋白表达明显减少(P＜ 0.01),NOX2增加(P＜0.05)。结论:两种强度的游泳训练均促使小鼠心肌细胞内PKCδ蛋白及其磷酸化增加;高强度游泳训练可显著增强P66shc蛋白表达及磷酸化水平,导致ROS大量生成,抗氧化酶活性下降;低强度游泳训练增强P66shc磷酸化但不促进其蛋白表达,心肌抗氧化能力增强,产生运动适应。     

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。     

Effects of acute intravenous injection of two growth hormone-releasing hormones (GHRH 1-40 and 1-29) on serum growth hormone and other pituitary hormones in short children with pulsatile growth hormone secretion

We administered two different growth hormone-releasing hormones (GHRH) to 20 short, prepubertal children who had spontaneous secretion of growth hormone (GH), assessed from 24-hour GH secretion profiles (72 sampling periods of 20 min). We compared one i.v. injection of 1 microgram/kg of GHRH 1-40 with that of GHRH 1-29 regarding serum concentrations of GH, prolactin, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone and IGF-I. The children were allocated to two groups without statistical randomization. Both groups were given both peptides, with at least 1 week in between. The first group started with GHRH 1-40, the other with GHRH 1-29. The peptides both induced an increased serum concentration of GH of the same magnitude: mean maximal peak of 89 +/- 12 mU/l after GHRH 1-40 and 94 +/- 10 mU/l after GHRH 1-29 (n.s.). The mean difference in maximum serum GH concentration in each child after injection was 52 +/- 9 mU/l, range 1-153 mU/l. GHRH 1-29 also induced a short-term, small increase in the concentrations of prolactin (p less than 0.05), luteinizing hormone (p less than 0.01) and follicle-stimulating hormone (p less than 0.05). We conclude that the shorter sequence GHRH 1-29, when given in a dose of 1 microgram/kg, gives a rise in serum concentration of GH similar to that after the native form GHRH 1-40.