• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.15 no.5
• /
• pp.757-766
• /
• 2002

Growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2, also named KP102) is a new hexapeptide of a series of synthetic growth hormone-releasing peptides (GHRPs) which stimulates the secretion of growth hormone (GH) in vitro and in vivo in several species including calf, sheep and pig. The GH-releasing activity of GHRP-2 is two to three times more effective than that of the original GHRP-6, and GHRP-1 in the rats and humans. To date, GHRP-2 seems to be the most potent member of the family of GHRPs. Since the GHRPs are short peptides (5-7 amino acid residues), they are synthesized easily and are not as readily degraded in plasma as GHreleasing hormone (GHRH). These features ameliorate their potential on domestic animals because of their chemical nature the GHRPs are efficacious when administered i.v. orally or orally. However, studies in cow, pig and sheep do not indicate such a close relationship between GHRH, somatostatin (SS) and GH, calling into question the general applicability of the human and rat models. Perhaps there is an important role for an endogenous GHRP in the regulation of GH secretion in domestic animals. This review provides an overview on the current knowledge of physiological role of GHRP-2 in domestic animals.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.18 no.7
• /
• pp.931-939
• /
• 2008

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of energy supplement on responses of plasma insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs) to growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) administration in normal protein-fed wethers, and to observe the effect of GHRP-2 treatment on hepatic growth hormone (GH) receptor in well-fed wethers. Plasma IGF-1 and 39-42 kDa IGFBP-3 during the HENP (CP, crude protein 0.34 and TDN, total digestible nutrients 1.83 kg/day DM, dry matter intake) treatment period were higher than in the LENP (CP 0.32 kg and TDN 0.87 kg/day DM intake) period (P<0.05). The response of GH was stimulated by GHRP-2 ($12.5\;{\mu}g/kg$ body weight/day) administration during both of the feed treatment periods (P<0.05). The area under curve (AUC) increment and average concentration of GH (0-180 min) with GHRP-2 administration was higher during HENP treatment than LENP treatment (P<0.01). During the HENP treatment period from day 1 to day 7 of twice daily GHRP-2 treatment, the plasma IGF-1 increment was increased on days 2, 6 and 7 of GHRP-2 administration (P<0.05). On the basis of ligand blotting, the proportions of plasma 39-43 kDa IGFBP-3 during the HENP treatment period only showed a significant difference on days 6 and 7 with GHRP-2 administration. No significant difference in the specific binding of $^{125}I-labeled$ oGH to hepatic membranes was detected between the saline and GHRP-2 treatments of the HENP-fed wethers. These results suggest that the nutritional balance between energy and protein may affect the endogenous GH / IGF-1 axis as well as plasma IGFBP-3 levels.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.16 no.8
• /
• pp.1188-1192
• /
• 2003

Negative feedback on GH responses to GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) and GH-releasing peptides (GHRPs) has been reported and this action has been suggested to act through an increase in somatostatin. To determine whether the acute administration of porcine GH (pGH) inhibits GH responsiveness to GHRP-2 and GHRH in swine, swine were intravenously administered with pGH (5${\mu}g$/kg BW) or placebo followed 180 min later by a second intravenous administration of saline, GHRP-2 (30 ${\mu}g$/kg BW), GHRH (1${\mu}g$/kg BW) and a combination of GHRP-2 and GHRH. Plasma GH concentration was measured by radioimmunoassay. Administration of pGH caused a significant increase in GH area under curve and GH peak concentrations (p<0.001) over placebo-treated group. Plasma GH concentrations peaked at 15 min and returned to baseline level within 90 min. Pretreatment of pGH abolished (p<0.01) GH response to GHRH and attenuated (p<0.05) GH response to GHRP-2 and GHRH combined, without affecting GH response to GHRP-2. These results demonstrate that negative feedback action on GH releasing effect of GHRH occurs in swine, and that GHRP-2 has ability to interact in this action.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.16 no.8
• /
• pp.1193-1198
• /
• 2003

An increase in frequency of administration of exogenous growth hormone (GH) or GH-releasing hormone was reported to be a model to increase blood circulating insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and to improve growth performance in animals. We have investigated the effect of twice daily administration of GH-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) on growth performance, GH responsiveness and plasma insulin-like growth factor IGF-1 in swine. We administered to eight swine, 3 control and 5 treatment, a twice daily s.c. injections of GHRP-2 ($30{\mu}g/kg\;BW$) for a period of 10 days. Every day blood samples immediately taken before injections of GHRP-2 or saline, at 08:00 h and 16:00 h, were measured for IGF-1 concentrations. Blood samples for GH assay were collected every 20 min on days 1, 6 and 10, from 1 hour before and 3 h after GHRP-2 or saline injections at 08:00 h. GH peak concentrations and GH area under curve (GH AUC) on day 1, 6 and 10 in treatment group of swine were higher than those in control swine (p<0.05). Twice daily administration of GHRP-2 caused a significantly attenuation (p<0.05) of GH peak concentrations ($80.25{\pm}13.87$, $39.73{\pm}5.72$ and $27.57{\pm}6.06ng/ml$ for day 1, 6 and 10, respectively) and GH AUCs ($3,536.15{\pm}738.35$, $1,310.31{\pm}203.55$ and $934.37{\pm}208.99ng/ml$ for day 1, 6 and 10, respectively). However, there was no significant difference in GH peak concentration and GH AUC between day 6 and 10. Plasma IGF-1 concentration levels were higher in treatment than control group of swine (p<0.05) after 3 days of the treatment, and the levels reached a plateau from day 3 to 10 of experiment. Growth performance did not alter by GHRP-2 administration, even though a numerical increase of body weight gain and feed efficiency was observed. These results indicate that twice daily administration of GHRP-2 for 10 days in swine did not significantly influence on growth performance, caused an overall attenuation of GH response, and that elevation of plasma GH concentrations caused by GHRP-2 administration increased plasma IGF-1 concentrations, even though an attenuation of GH response was observed.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
• /
• 2001.04a
• /
• pp.227.2-227.2
• /
• 2001

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
• /
• 2001.04a
• /
• pp.234.2-234.2
• /
• 2001

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.55-63
• /
• 2016

Growth hormone (GH)-releasing peptides (GHRPs) and GH secretagogues (GHSs) are listed in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List. In the present study, we developed and validated a method for the simultaneous analysis of seven GHRPs (alexamorelin, GHRP-1, -2, -4, -5, -6, and hexarelin) and three GHSs (anamorelin, ibutamoren, and ipamorelin) in human urine. Method validation was performed at minimum required performance levels specified by WADA technical documents (2 ng/mL) for all substances, and the method was validated with regard to selectivity (no interference), linearity (R2 > 0.9986), matrix effects (50.0%-141.2%), recovery (10.4%-100.8%), and intra- (2.8%-16.5%) and inter-day (7.0%-22.6%) precisions. The limits of detection for screening and confirmation were 0.05-0.5 ng/mL and 0.05-1 ng/mL, respectively.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.42 no.6
• /
• pp.470-479
• /
• 2019

Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) are pacemaker cells that exhibit periodic spontaneous depolarization in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and generate pacemaker potentials. In this study, we investigated the effects of ghrelin and motilin on the pacemaker potentials of ICCs isolated from the mouse small intestine. Using the whole-cell patch-clamp configuration, we demonstrated that ghrelin depolarized pacemaker potentials of cultured ICCs in a dose-dependent manner. The ghrelin receptor antagonist [D-Lys] GHRP-6 completely inhibited this ghrelin-induced depolarization. Intracellular guanosine 5'-diphosphate-${\beta}$-S and pre-treatment with $Ca^{2+}$-free solution or thapsigargin also blocked the ghrelin-induced depolarization. To investigate the involvement of inositol triphosphate ($IP_3$), Rho kinase, and protein kinase C (PKC) in ghrelin-mediated pacemaker potential depolarization of ICCs, we used the $IP_3$ receptor inhibitors 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate and xestospongin C, the Rho kinase inhibitor Y-27632, and the PKC inhibitors staurosporine, Go6976, and rottlerin. All inhibitors except rottlerin blocked the ghrelin-induced pacemaker potential depolarization of ICCs. In addition, motilin depolarized the pacemaker potentials of ICCs in a similar dose-dependent manner as ghrelin, and this was also completely inhibited by [D-Lys] GHRP-6. These results suggest that ghrelin induced the pacemaker potential depolarization through the ghrelin receptor in a G protein-, $IP_3$-, Rho kinase-, and PKC-dependent manner via intracellular and extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ regulation. In addition, motilin was able to depolarize the pacemaker potentials of ICCs through the ghrelin receptor. Therefore, ghrelin and its receptor may modulate GI motility by acting on ICCs in the murine small intestine.