The Neuroendocrine Regulation and Function of Growth Hormone and Prolactin in the Mammalian Fetus*

Gluckman, Peter D.; Grumbach, Melvin M.; Kaplan, Selna L.

doi:10.1210/edrv-2-4-363

Cited by 231 publications

(81 citation statements)

References 165 publications

(256 reference statements)

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“…First, this pattern of secretion may be an additional component of the altered somatotrophic axis observed in growthrestricted fetuses. Indeed, as previously described, plasma GH levels in cord blood were higher in IUGR fetuses than in normal fetuses and negatively correlated with birth weight, probably as a result of the reduced IGF-I levels present in this pathological condition (22,23). Therefore, it is likely that low IGF-I associated with intrauterine growth restriction may induce ghrelin overproduction, although the feedback mechanisms regulating ghrelin secretion are still poorly understood.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

Circulating levels of ghrelin in human fetuses

Cortelazzi

Cappiello

Morpurgo

et al. 2003

European Journal of Endocrinology

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Objective: Ghrelin is a GH secretagog isolated recently from rat stomach and involved in the stimulation of food intake and adiposity in rodents and humans. Moreover, subsequent studies showed that ghrelin is expressed in rat and human placenta, suggesting a possible influence of the peptide on fetal growth. The aim of this study was to evaluate circulating levels of ghrelin in appropriate for gestational age (AGA) or intrauterine growth-restricted (IUGR) fetuses. Subjects and methods: Ghrelin levels between 20 and 39 weeks of gestation were measured in 16 AGA and nine IUGR fetuses in whom blood was collected by cordocentesis performed for prenatal diagnosis of different diseases or during elective cesarean section. In most samples, GH, cortisol and leptin levels were also evaluated. Results are expressed as means^S.D. Differences were tested using the Student's t-test with Welch correction. P , 0.05 was considered significant. Results: All fetuses showed levels of ghrelin in the umbilical venous blood (100^99 pmol/l) that did not correlate with the gestational age or the maternal ghrelin levels. No difference was found between umbilical venous and arterial concentrations, suggesting that fetal tissues are a source of ghrelin. Ghrelin levels in IUGR fetuses were significantly higher than those found in AGA fetuses (176^125 vs 58^44 pmol/l; P , 0.005). Moreover, in samples obtained at birth, ghrelin concentrations correlated negatively with birth weight (P , 0.05). In IUGR fetuses, GH and cortisol concentrations were higher and leptin levels lower than in AGA fetuses, although no significant correlation between these parameters and ghrelin levels was found. Conclusion: The presence of ghrelin in the fetal circulation as well as its increase in IUGR fetuses suggest a role of this peptide during intrauterine development.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

Circulating levels of ghrelin in human fetuses

Cortelazzi

Cappiello

Morpurgo

et al. 2003

European Journal of Endocrinology

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“…High serum levels of GH and PRL (13) have been described during the first days of life (13)(14)(15). Values decrease afterward, but they are still high at 8 wk compared with adult concentrations (16). Furthermore, by extension to what has been found in numerous in vivo and in vitro studies, Leydig cell function might be modulated by many other peptide and nonpeptide hormones and factors, including insulin, IGF-I, and transforming growth factor P (17).…”

mentioning

confidence: 96%

Basal Testosterone Secretion and Response to Human Luteinizing, Follicle-Stimulating, and Growth Hormones in Culture of Cells Isolated from Testes of Infants and Children

et al. 1995

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Little is known on the hormonal regulation of the early postnatal phase of Leydig cell activation in the human. Testosterone secretion by prepubertal testicular cells in culture was studied in two different age groups, 0-7-mo-old (group 1) and 16-36-mo-old (group 2) boys. A mixed cell preparation was isolated from testes collected at necropsy and maintained in culture for 6 d. Cells were cultured in serum-free medium in basal conditions and under the stimulation of human (h)LH, hFSH, or recombinant hGH, and the secretion of testosterone was determined on d 6 by RIA. In basal conditions, cells of group 1 secreted more testosterone (median 5.83 pmol/106 cellsd, n =

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“…For example, human and sheep fetuses have elevated GH concentrations that are well in excess of those in the adult. For humans, a major decline in GH concentrations occurs mid-gestation (Gluckman et al 1981) while for sheep it occurs around the time of parturition (Bassett et al 1970, Gluckman et al 1981. In contrast in the rat, GH concentrations increase rapidly during late gestation, peak at birth and then decline over the next 10 days (Rieutort 1974).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The GH/IGF-I axis in the brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) pouch young

Saunders¹,

Gemmell²,

Curlewis³

2003

Journal of Endocrinology

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Plasma and pituitary GH concentrations and liver GH receptor (GHR), IGF-I and IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) mRNA expression were determined in brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) pouch young aged 12-150 days post-partum and in adults. Mean plasma GH concentrations were highest, measuring around 150 ng/ml, from 12 to 100 days post-partum, and thereafter declined so that by 150 days post-partum levels were not significantly different from those in adults (10·8 1·8 ng/ml (S.E.M.)). In contrast to plasma levels, pituitary GH content increased markedly throughout pouch life, with an 87-fold increase between 12 and 150 days post-partum. However, when expressed per gram body weight, pituitary content was relatively constant between 25 and 150 days post-partum, indicating that the decline in plasma GH after 100 days post-partum was not due to decreased synthesis and/or storage of GH in the pituitary gland. Expression of GHR, IGF-I and IGFBP-3 mRNAs was determined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Liver GHR and IGF-I mRNA expression were low at 12 and 25 days post-partum and did not show sustained and significant increases (P<0·05) until 125 and 150 days post-partum. IGFBP-3 expression was also low at 12 days post-partum but then increased rapidly to a maximum at 50 days post-partum and thereafter declined. For all three mRNAs, liver expression at day 150 was not significantly different from that in adults. These patterns of gene expression for GHR and IGF-I suggest that the possum liver is resistant to the high plasma GH concentrations during early pouch life and in this way is similar to the fetal liver of some eutherian mammals.

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The Neuroendocrine Regulation and Function of Growth Hormone and Prolactin in the Mammalian Fetus*

Cited by 231 publications

References 165 publications

Circulating levels of ghrelin in human fetuses

Circulating levels of ghrelin in human fetuses

Basal Testosterone Secretion and Response to Human Luteinizing, Follicle-Stimulating, and Growth Hormones in Culture of Cells Isolated from Testes of Infants and Children

The GH/IGF-I axis in the brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) pouch young

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