Phylogenetic Distribution and Significance of the Hypothalamic Releasing Hormones

SYNOPSIS. The mammalian hypothalamic releasing factors regulatingthyroid, gonadal and adrenal function as well as growth hormonesecretion have been isolated, characterized and their nucleotidesequences determined. In general, their hypophysiotropic effectsare replicated in lower vertebrates though thyrotropin releasinghormone (TRH) does not appear to stimulate thyroid functionin amphibia and fish. The releasing factors, or peptides structurallyrelated to these substances, are found throughout the CNS ofall vertebrates where they likely function as neurotransmittersor neuromodulators. High concentrations of TRH and other neuralpeptides includingsauvagine, which is related to corticotropinreleasing factor (CRF) and has CRF-like activity, are foundin amphibian skin, a neural crest derived tissue. mRNA extractedfrom the skin of Xenopus laevis was cloned and led to the identityof the DNA sequence of pre-pro TRH. Molecular variants of somatostatinhave been recognized from studies on the pancreatic islets ofthe anglerfish and catfish. Within mammalian species there isheterogeneity of growth hormone releasing factor (GRF), the44 (and 40) amino acid peptides isolated from a human(h) pancreatictumor. In the teleost brain-pituitary, 2 distinct hGRF-likeneuronal systems are present. Additionally, various molecularforms of hGRF exist in the fish brain showing structural changesfrom the human variety.