Mechanisms of action of growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 in bovine pituitary cells

Beyond the androgen receptor: the role of growth hormone secretagogues in the modern management of body composition in hypogonadal males

Male hypogonadism is an increasingly prevalent clinical condition that affects patients’ quality of life and overall health. Obesity and metabolic syndrome can both cause and result from hypogonadism. Although testosterone remains the gold standard for hypogonadism management, its benefits are not always conserved across different populations, especially with regards to changes in body composition. Partially in response to this, growth hormone secretagogues (GHS) have emerged as a potential novel adjunctive therapy for some of the symptoms of hypogonadism, although current data on their clinical efficacy largely remain lacking. The present review examines the existing literature on the use of GHS and explores their potential complementary role in the management of hypogonadal and eugonadal males with metabolic syndrome or subclinical hypogonadism (SH). The GHS that will be discussed include sermorelin, growth hormone-releasing peptides (GHRP)-2, GHRP-6, ibutamoren, and ipamorelin. All are potent GH and IGF-1 stimulators that can significantly improve body composition while ameliorating specific hypogonadal symptoms including fat gain and muscular atrophy. However, a paucity of data examining the clinical effects of these compounds currently limits our understanding of GHS’ role in the treatment of men with hypogonadism, but does open opportunities for future investigation.

Effects of GHRP-2 and Cysteamine Administration on Growth Performance, Somatotropic Axis Hormone and Muscle Protein Deposition in Yaks (Bos grunniens) with Growth Retardation

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) and cysteamine (CS) administration on growth performance in yaks with growth retardation and try to elucidate its regulatory mechanisms. Trial 1, thirty-six 1-year-old Qinghai high plateau yaks (body weight 38–83.2 kg) were randomly chosen for body weight and jugular blood samples collection. The relationship between body weight and serum GHRH (P < 0.05, R = 0.45), GH (P < 0.05, R = 0.47), IGF-1 (P < 0.05, R = 0.62) was significantly correlated in yaks colonies with lighter body weights. Trial 2, fifteen 1-year-old Qinghai high plateau yaks with growth retardation (average body weight 54.8 ± 8.24 kg) were randomly selected and assigned to negative control group (NG), GHRP-2 injection group (GG) and cysteamine feeding group (CG), with 5 yaks per group. Another five 1-year-old Qinghai high plateau yaks with normal growth performance (average body weight 75.3 ± 2.43 kg) were selected as positive control group (PG). The average daily gain (ADG) of the GG and CG were significantly higher than those in the PG and NG (P < 0.05). Both GHRP-2 and CS administration significantly enhanced the myofiber diameter and area of skeletal muscle (P<0.05). GHRP-2 significantly enhanced the serum GH and IGF-1 levels (P < 0.05), and up-regulated GHR, IGF-1 and IGF-1R mRNA expression in the liver and skeletal muscle (P < 0.05), enhanced the mRNA expression of PI₃K, AKt and mTOR in the skeletal muscle (P<0.05). CS significantly reduced the serum SS levels and the hypothalamus SS mRNA expression (P < 0.05), and enhanced GHR and IGF-1 mRNA expression in the liver (P < 0.05), decreased the mRNA expression of muscle atrophy F-box (Atrogin-1) and muscle ring finger 1 (MuRF1) mRNA (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Growth retardation in yaks was primarily due to somatotropic axis hormones secretion deficiency. Both GHRP-2 and CS administration can accelerate growth performance and GH, IGF-1 secretion in yaks with growth retardation. GHRP-2 enhanced muscle protein deposition mainly by up-regulated the protein synthesis pathways, whereas CS worked mainly by down-regulated the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway.

Growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 reduces inward rectifying K+ currents via a PKA-cAMP-mediated signalling pathway in ovine somatotropes

Inward-rectifying potassium (Kir) channels are essential for maintaining the resting membrane potential near the K(+) equilibrium and they are responsible for hyperpolarisation-induced K(+) influx. We characterised the Kir current in primary cultured ovine somatotropes and examined the effect of growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) on this current and its related intracellular signalling pathways. The Kir current was, in most cases, isolated using nystatin-perforated patch-clamp techniques. In bath solution containing 5 mM K(+), the Kir current was composed of both transient (fast activated) and delayed (slowly activated) components. An increase in the external K(+) concentration from 5 to 25 mM induced an augmentation of approximately 4-fold in the delayed part of the Kir current and both BaCl(2) and CsCl dose-dependently inhibited this current, confirming the presence of the Kir current in ovine somatotropes. Moreover, this specific effect of high K(+) on the Kir current was only observed in the cells that showed positive staining with anti-growth hormone (GH) antibodies, or in GC cells that belong to a rat somatotrope cell line. Application of GHRP-2 (100 nM) reversibly and significantly reduced the Kir current in bath solutions with 5 or 25 mM K(+) in ovine somatotropes. In addition, we found that the reduction in the Kir current mediated by GHRP-2 was totally abolished by the pretreatments with H89 (1 microM) or Rp-cAMP (100 microM) or by intracellular dialysis of a specific protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitory peptide PKI (10 microM). The specific PKC blocker chelerythrine (1 microM) or inhibitory peptide PKC(19-36) (10 microM) did not show any effects on the GHRP-2-induced decrease in the Kir current. These results suggest that the inhibition of Kir current through PKA-cAMP pathways may play an integral role in GHRP-2-induced depolarisation and GH release in ovine somatotropes.

Effects of the administration of growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) orally by gavage and in feed on growth hormone release in swine

The experiments were conducted to determine the effects of the administration of growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2, also named KP102), both orally by gavage and in feed, on the release of growth hormone (GH) in swine and to investigate whether attenuation of the GH response occurs after short-term treatment with the peptide in feed. In the first experiment, saline or GHRP-2 at doses of 1, 4.5 and 9 mg/kg body weight (BW) was dissolved in 15 ml saline and administered orally as a bolus by gavage to cross-bred castrated male swine (n = 6). Orally administered GHRP-2 stimulated dose-related increases in peak concentrations of GH, with a return to basal by 120 min. After administering GHRP-2 orally, peak concentrations of GH and areas under the GH response curves (GH AUCs) for 180 min were higher (P < 0.05) than those in saline controls. In Experiment 2, GHRP-2 at doses of 0 (served as control), 1, 4.5 and 9 mg/kg BW was mixed in 150 g of feed and offered to cross-bred castrated male swine (n = 6) at 0900 hr and 1700 hr daily for a 3-d period. Administration of 1 mg/kg BW GHRP-2 to swine in feed failed to stimulate the release of GH, but GHRP-2 at doses of 4.5 and 9 mg/kg BW significantly (P < 0.05) increased plasma concentrations of GH after initial and final treatments at 0900 hr on Days 1 and 3 of treatment, respectively. Peak concentrations of GH and GH AUCs for 180 min after the initial and final treatments in the 4.5 and 9 mg/kg BW GHRP-2-treated swine were higher (P < 0.05) than those in controls. After 3 d of treatment with GHRP-2 in feed at doses of 4.5 and 9 mg/kg BW, GH responses to the peptide were maintained. The results of the present study indicate that the administration of GHRP-2 orally by gavage and in feed stimulates the release of GH in swine, and that the GH-releasing effect of the peptide does not become desensitized after short-term administration in feed.

Plasma growth hormone (GH) responses after administration of the peptidergic GH secretagogue KP102 into the oral cavity, rumen, abomasum and duodenum in adult goats

The study was performed to determine whether orally administered KP102 (also known as GHRP-2) stimulates GH release in adult goats, and how the orally administered KP102 passes through the digestive tract and stimulates GH release in ruminant animals. Five mg/kg body weight (BW) of KP102 dissolved in 9 ml of saline were administered into the oral cavity, rumen, omasum and duodenum of adult goats, and GH release after administration of KP102 was examined. The GH levels were significantly elevated at 20 min after administration of KP102 into the oral cavity, and plasma concentrations of GH remained significantly elevated until 60 min (P < 0.05). The GH levels after administration of KP102 into the abomasum were variable. However, the GH level tended to increase within 30 min after administration, and were significantly higher than those of controls after 120 to 150 min (P < 0.05). The GH levels after administration of KP102 into the duodenum were significantly elevated at 40 min after administration, and plasma concentrations of GH remained significantly elevated until 140 min (P < 0.05). The administration of KP102 into the rumen failed to stimulate GH release. The GH response curves (AUC) produced after administration of KP102 into the abomasum or duodenum were 2.2-fold greater than those for after administration into the oral cavity (P < 0.05). The oral administration of 5 mg/kg BW of KP102 in the powder state, not dissolved in 9 ml of saline, failed to stimulate GH release. These results suggested that orally administered KP102 dissolved in saline transiently stimulates GH release in adult goats, and this phenomenon might be due to small amounts of the peptides entering directly into the abomasum with liquid bypassing the rumen.

The effect of growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 (KP102) administration on plasma insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and IGF-binding proteins in Holstein steers on different planes of nutrition

This study was conducted to investigate the nutrition-dependent changes in insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) with growth hormone releasing peptide-2 (D-Ala-D-betaNal-Ala-Trp-D-Phe-Lys-NH(2); GHRP-2 or KP102) treatment in growing Holstein steers. Eight 13 month-old Holstein steers were grouped on two levels of feed intake (high intake (HI); 2.43% body weight or low intake (LI); 1.22%) and each group was daily injected with KP102 (12.5 microg/kg body weight/day) or saline solution into the jugular vein during 6-day period. The concentration of plasma GH showed an increase after an i.v. bolus injection of KP102 on Day 1 and Day 6 in both the LI and HI groups. Plasma IGF-1 began to increase 10 hr following an i.v. bolus injection of KP102, but this was only observed in the HI group (P < 0.05). Also, the plasma IGF-1 in the HI group with daily injections was significantly greater than the LI group from Day 1 of KP102 administration (P < 0.05). It reached maximum values of 125.1 +/- 7.6 ng/ml after Day 2, and returned to pre-injection levels after Day 4, however, no change in plasma IGF-1 was observed in LI with administration of KP102. During 6 days of treatment, plasma 38-43 kDa IGFBP-3 and 24 kDa IGFBP-4 were significantly higher in KP102 treated steers but only in the HI group (P < 0.05). Plasma 34 kDa IGFBP-2 decreased in the HI group and did not show any change following an injection of KP102. In conclusion, the effect of stimulated endogenous GH with KP102 administration increased plasma IGF-1, 38-43 kDa IGFBP-3 and 24 kDa IGFBP-4 levels in the HI group of growing Holstein steers, but not in the LI one. Thus, we strongly believe that the plasma IGF-1 and IGFBPs response to KP102 treatment is modulated by the nutritional status of growing Holstein steers and the increased plasma IGF-1 concentration with KP102 treatment may be regulated by plasma 38-43 kDa IGFBP-3 and 24 kDa IGFBP-4 in Holstein steers.

The effects of growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) on the release of growth hormone and growth performance in swine

The effects of GHRP-2 (also named KP102), a new growth hormone-releasing peptide, on the release of growth hormone (GH) and growth performance were examined in swine. The single intravenous (i. v.) injection of GHRP-2 at doses of 2, 10, 30 and 100 microg/kg body weight (BW) to cross-bred castrated male swine stimulated GH release in a dose-dependent manner, with a return to the baseline by 120 min. The peak GH concentrations and GH areas under the response curves (GH AUCs) for 180 min after the injections of GHRP-2 were higher (P < 0.05) than those after the injection of saline. The GH responses to repeated i.v. injections of GHRP-2 (30 microg/kg BW) at 2-h intervals for 6 h were decreased after each injection. The chronic subcutaneous (s.c.) administration of GHRP-2 (30 microg/kg BW) once daily for 30 days consistently stimulated GH release. The GH AUCs for 300 min after the injections on d 1, 10 and 30 of treatment in GHRP-2-treated swine were higher than those in saline-treated swine. However, chronic administration of GHRP-2 caused a partial attenuation of GH response between d 1 and 10 of treatment. The chronic s.c. administration of GHRP-2 also increased average daily gain for the entire treatment period by 22.35% (P < 0.05) and feed efficiency (feed/gain) by 20.64% (P < 0.01) over the saline control values, but did not significantly affect daily feed intake. These results indicate that GHRP-2 stimulates GH release and enhancing growth performance in swine.

Oral administration of peptidergic growth hormone (GH) secretagogue KP102 stimulates GH release in goats

To assess the oral activity of KP102 (also known GHRP-2) on growth hormone (GH) release in ruminant animals, 5 or 10 mg/kg body weight (BW) of KP102 dissolved in saline was orally administered twice at 2 hr-intervals to either 1- or 3-mo-old goats (n = 5-6). Plasma GH concentrations in the 1-mo-old goats were elevated at 15 min after the first administration of both 5 and 10 mg/kg BW of KP102. Significant elevation of GH concentrations continued until 180 min after 10 mg/kg BW of KP102, whereas the elevated GH levels after the administrations of 5 mg/kg BW of KP102 subsided to basal concentrations within 90 min. The second administration of 10 mg/kg BW of KP102 failed to elevate the GH concentration, but 5 mg/kg BW of KP102 abruptly stimulated GH release. Plasma GH concentrations in the 3-mo-old goats were also significantly elevated after the administration of both 5 and 10 mg/kg BW of KP102. The plasma GH responses to 5 and 10 mg/kg BW of KP102 were almost identical. The elevated GH levels after the first administration of KP102 tended to be maintained throughout the experiment, and a transient increase in plasma GH levels was observed after the second administration. However, the stimulatory effect of KP102 on GH release in the 3-mo-old goats was small and less abrupt than that in the 1-mo-old goats. The concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I were not increased by KP102 during the brief sampling periods used in this experiment. These results show that the oral administration of the peptidergic GH secretogogue KP102 stimulates GH release in a ruminant species, and that the oral activity of KP102 on GH release is modified by the age.