Abstract
The concept of a hypothalamic neurohumoral control for anterior pituitary secretion1 postulates the existence of a growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) of neuronal origin that stimulates the pituitary gland to release growth hormone (GH). Such a compound has not yet been isolated and characterized from the brain, although there is extensive physiological and biochemical evidence for its existence (reviewed in ref. 2). However, a 44-amino-acid amidated peptide having the physiological properties of GRF as well as chemical similarities was recently isolated from a human pancreatic tumour that had caused acromegaly3. Two shorter biologically active fragments of 40 and 37 residues were also isolated. The synthetic replicates of these human pancreas GRF (hpGRF) peptides specifically stimulate GH release in vitro and in vivo3. Assuming similarity or identity between the putative hypothalamic GRF and the tumour-derived hpGRF, we have used immunohistochemistry to search for hpGRF-like immunoreactivity in the brain. We report here that antisera against the hpGRF1–40 peptide specifically stain neuronal cell bodies in the arcuate nucleus of the primate hypothalamus, with fibres projecting to the median eminence and ending in contact with portal vessels. This topography is characteristic of a neuronal system elaborating a releasing factor. These results provide evidence that hypothalamic GRF is very similar, if not identical, to hpGRF.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Harris, G. Neural Control of the Pituitary Gland (Arnold, London 1955).
Martin, J. B. in Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology (eds Martini, L. & Ganong, W. F.) 129–168 (Raven, New York 1976).
Guillemin, R. et al. Science 218, 585–587 (1982).
Benoit, R. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79, 917–921 (1982).
Sternberger, L. A. Immunocytochemistry (Prentice-Hall, New Jersey 1974).
Leonardelli, J., Barry, J. & Dubois, M. P. C.r. hebd. Séanc. Acad. Sci., Paris D276, 2043–2046 (1973).
Barry, J., Dubois, M. P. & Poulain, P. Z. Zellforsch. mikrosk. Anat. 146, 351–366 (1973).
Hökfelt, T., Fuxe, F., Johansson, O., Jeffcoate, S. & White, N. Eur. J. Pharmac. 34, 389–392 (1975).
Paull, W. K. et al. Peptides 1, 183–191 (1982).
Bloom, F. E., Battenberg, E. F., Rivier, J. & Vale, W. Regul. Peptides 4, 43–48 (1982).
Tramu, G. & Pillez, A. C.r. hebd. Séanc. Acad. Sci., Paris D294, 107–114 (1982).
Bugnon, C., Fellmann, D., Gouget, A. & Cardot, J. Nature 298, 159–161 (1982).
Dubois, M. P., Barry, J. & Leonardelli, J. C.r. hebd. Séanc. Acad. Sci., Paris D179, 1899–1902 (1974).
Hökfelt, T. et al. Acta endocr., Copenh. Suppl. 200, 1–41 (1975).
Imura, H. Clin. Endocr. Metab. 2, 235–260 (1980).
Millard, W., Martin, J. B. Jr, Audet, J., Sagar, S. & Martin, J. B. Endocrinology 110, 540–550 (1982).
Acs, Z., Antoni, F. & Makara, G. J. Endocr. 93, 239–245 (1982).
Frohman, L. & Bernardis, L. Endocrinology 82, 1125–1132 (1968).
Frohman, L., Bernardis, L. & Kant, K. Science 162, 580–582 (1968).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bloch, B., Brazeau, P., Ling, N. et al. Immunohistochemical detection of growth hormone-releasing factor in brain. Nature 301, 607–608 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/301607a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/301607a0
This article is cited by
-
Acromegaly associated with gangliocytoma
Irish Journal of Medical Science (2012)
-
Neuroendocrine tumors secreting growth hormone-releasing hormone: Pathophysiological and clinical aspects
Pituitary (2006)
-
Growth hormone-releasing hormone neurons in the anestrus cat do not express progesterone receptors
Cell and Tissue Research (2003)
-
Growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor and the kidney
Kidney International (1995)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.