A polymorphism in the growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone (GHRH) receptor gene is associated with elevated response to GHRH by human pituitary somatotrophinomas in vitro

A previous study has suggested that a G to A base change at position 169 of the GHRH-receptor gene in human somatotrophinomas is a mutation and confers hypersensitivity to GHRH. The alternative base converts codon 57 from GCG to AGC, resulting in replacement of alanine (Ala) with threonine (Thr). In the present study, two of five human GH-secreting somatotrophinomas were found to possess the codon 57 AGC sequence. The GCG allele was also detected, indicating heterozygosity. However, the patients' normal blood-derived DNA also yielded the same sequence pattern, indicating that the Ala=> Thr amino acid change is a normal polymorphism, and not a somatic mutation. Nevertheless, in vitro, the tumors possessing the Ala=> Thr amino acid change responded very strongly to GHRH in terms of cAMP formation, being increased 40- and 200-fold, in comparison to the 2-fold increases by tumors without the alternative GHRH-receptor sequence. Likewise, the in vitro response of GH secretion to GHRH was elevated. One of the two tumors with the alternative Thr residue, and the highest responder to GHRH, possessed a gsp muration, despite the fact that these defects are thought to reduce responsiveness to GHRH. These results fail to confirm that the GCG => AGC at codon 57 of the GHRH-receptor gene is a mutation, but do support the concept that the alternative form with Thr confers increased sensitivity to GHRH. (C) 2000 Academic Press.

A polymorphism in the growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor gene: clinical significance?

Two forms of the growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) receptor (GHRH-R) exist in terms of a polymorphism at codon 57. The most common allele possesses GCG, coding for Ala. This codon can also be ACG, replacing the Ala with Thr. The present study demonstrates that the latter occurs in about 20% of pituitary somatotrophinomas, removed from patients with acromegaly. Somatotrophinomas possessing the alternative allele respond, on average, more strongly to GHRH in terms of GH secretion in vitro than tumors which are homozygous for the more common allele. The distribution of the two allelic forms of the GHRH-R did not significantly differ between acromegalic and non-acromegalic subjects. Thus, while the alternative allelic forms may, at least partially, contribute to the variable response of serum GH levels to i.v. GHRH observed in acromegalic and normal subjects, it is unlikely that subjects possessing the rarer form containing Thr in place of Ala at residue 57 are at increased risk of developing acromegaly.

Characterization of Juvenile Hormone Biosynthetic Enzymes in the Mosquito, Aedes aegypti

The juvenile hormones (JHs) are sesquiterpenoid compounds that play a central role in insect reproduction, development and behavior. They are synthesized and secreted by a pair of small endocrine glands, the corpora allata (CA), which are intimately connected to the brain. The enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of JH are attractive targets for the control of mosquito populations. This dissertation is a comprehensive functional study of five Aedes aegypti CA enzymes, HMG-CoA synthase (AaHMGS), mevalonate kinase (AaMK), phosphomevalonate kinase (AaPMK), farnesyl diphosphate synthase (AaFPPS) and farnesyl pyrophosphate phosphatase (AaFPPase). The enzyme AaHMGS catalyzes the condensation of acetoacetyl-CoA and acetyl-CoA to produce HMG-CoA. The enzyme does not require any co-factor, although its activity is enhanced by addition of Mg2+. The enzyme AaMK is a class I mevalonate kinase that catalyzes the ATP-dependent phosphorylation of mevalonic acid to form mevalonate 5-phosphate. Activity of AaMK is inhibited by isoprenoids. The enzyme AaPMK catalyzes the cation-dependent reversible reaction of phosphomevalonate and ATP to form diphosphate mevalonate and ADP. The enzyme AaFPPS catalyzes the condensation of isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) to form geranyl diphosphate (GPP) and farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP). The enzyme AaFPPS shows an unusual product regulation mechanism, with chain length final product of 10 or 15 C depending on the metal cofactor present. The enzymes AaFPPase-1 and AaFPPase-2 efficiently hydrolyze FPP into farnesol, although RNAi experiments demonstrate that only AaFPPase-1 is involved in the catalysis of FPP into FOL in the CA of A. aegypti. This dissertation also explored the inhibition of the activity of some of the JH biosynthesis enzymes as tools for insect control. We described the effect of N-acetyl-S-geranylgeranyl-L-cysteine as a potent inhibitor of AaFPPase 1 and AaFPPase-2. In addition, inhibitors of AaMK and AaHMGS were also investigated using purified recombinant proteins. The present study provides an important contribution to the characterization of recombinant proteins, the analysis of enzyme kinetics and inhibition constants, as well as the understanding of the importance of these five enzymes in the control of JH biosynthesis rates.

Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist protocols for pituitary suppression in assisted reproduction

Peer reviewed

Effets de l'administration chronique de l'hormone de croissance sur l'expression et les concentrations sériques des peptides natriurétiques chez le hamster cardiomyopathique UM-X7.1

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Expression et caractérisation du récepteur hypophysaire de rat du facteur de libération de l'hormone de croissance ainsi que de ses isoformes

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Localisation, régulation et fonction du récepteur rénal du facteur de libération de l'hormone de croissance chez le rat

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Sur la régulation transcriptionnelle du gène de la pro-opiomélanocortine par l'hormone hypothalamique CRH

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Le glucagon-like peptide-I : un facteur de croissance et une hormone anti-apoptotique pour la cellule pancréatique[bêta] : étude de la transduction du signal

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Impact du diabète de type 1 sur le récepteur hypophysaire et rénal du facteur de libération de l'hormone de croissance chez le rat

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Glucotoxicité cellulaire comme modèle de vieillissement du récepteur du facteur de libération de l'hormone de croissance

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Étude du récepteur du facteur de libération de l'hormone de croissance dans l'Anse de Henlé mince

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Les effets d'un traitement par l'hormone de croissance sur l'expression ventriculaire des peptides natriurétiques et des isoformes de myosine de chaînes lourdes chez le hamster cardiomyopathique

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.