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Interaction of salbutamol and galanin on both basal and growth hormone releasing hormone-stimulated growth hormone secretion in humans

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Abstract

Beta adrenergic receptors mediate the inhibitory influence of catecholamines on GH secretion in man, likely via stimulation of hypothalamic somatostatin release.

To further clarify the role of β adrenergic receptors in the neural control of GH secretion, in 7 normal females (age 21–27 yr) we studied the interaction of salbutamol (SAL 0.08 mg/kg orally), a β2-adrenergic agonist, with GHRH (1 μg/kg iv) and/or galanin (GAL 15 μg/kg iv), a neuropeptide endowed with a GH-releasing effect which is likely mediated by concomitant stimulation of GHRH- and inhibition of somatostatin-secreting neurons. SAL inhibited the GH response to GHRH (AUC: 282.6 ±102.7 vs 1083.6 ±176.5 μg/l/h, p< 0.05) and, although not significantly, that to GAL (263.9 ±103.7 vs 418.4 ±70.4 μg/l/h). GAL enhanced the GHRH-induced GH rise (2129.5 ±362.2 μg/l/h, p< 0.05) but SAL pretreatment inhibited this effect (1249.8 ±257.1 μg/l/h, p<0.02) so that the GH response to the combined administration of GHRH, GAL and SAL overlapped with that to the neurohormone alone.

In conclusion, our results show that the inhibitory influence of β adrenergic activation on GH secretion overrides the stimulatory one of galanin. They strenghten the view that in man β-adrenergic receptors and galanin modulate GH secretion having opposite influences aimed to balance the function of the GH-IGF-I axis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Divisione di Endocrinologia, Ospedale Molinette, University of Torino, Corso Dogliotti 14, Torino, Italy

    E. Arvat, J. Ramunni, L. Gianotti, L. Di Vito, M. Maccario, F. Camanni &  Ezio Ghigo

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  1. E. Arvat
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  2. J. Ramunni
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  3. L. Gianotti
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  4. L. Di Vito
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  5. M. Maccario
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  6. F. Camanni
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  7. Ezio Ghigo
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Arvat, E., Ramunni, J., Gianotti, L. et al. Interaction of salbutamol and galanin on both basal and growth hormone releasing hormone-stimulated growth hormone secretion in humans. J Endocrinol Invest 18, 324–328 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03347832

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