Effects of growth hormone-releasing factor and(or) thyrotropin-releasing hormone on growth, feed efficiency, carcass characteristics, and blood hormones and metabolites in beef heifers.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of long-term administration of a growth hormone (GH)-releasing factor analog (GRFa) and(or) thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) on growth, feed efficiency, carcass characteristics, and blood hormones and metabolites in beef heifers. Crossbred heifers (n = 48; 345.9 +/- 2.

Synthesis and biological activity of novel C-terminal-extended and biotinylated growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) analogs.

A series of novel hGRF(1-29)-NH2 analogs were synthesized and biotinylated. The immunological and biological activities of these analogs were then characterized. To distance the biotin moiety from the putative bioactive core, a C-terminal spacer arm consisting of -Gly-Gly-Cys-NH2 (-GGC) was added to hGRF(1-29)-NH2 (hGRF29) and analogs, with subsequent biotinylation performed at the cysteine residue.

Solution structures of cyclic and dicyclic analogues of growth hormone releasing factor as determined by two-dimensional NMR and CD spectroscopies and constrained molecular dynamics.

Solution structures were determined for a linear analogue of growth hormone releasing factor (GRF), and cyclic and dicyclic analogues in which the side chains of aspartyl and lysyl residues spaced at positions i-(i + 4) were joined to form a lactam. The four analogues were [Ala15]-GRF-(1-29)-NH2 and its cyclo8-12, cyclo21-25, and dicyclo8-12;21-25 derivatives. The peptides were studied in two solvent systems: 75% methanol/25% water at pH 6.

Effects of growth hormone-releasing factor and vasoactive intestinal peptide on proliferation and steroidogenesis of bovine granulosa cells.

Recent studies have suggested that growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF), like vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), may enhance follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-stimulated steroidogenesis in cultured rat granulosa cells (GC). Because effects of GRF or VIP on GC proliferation have not been reported, we evaluated and compared the effect of GRF to that of VIP using cultured bovine GC. Undifferentiated GC from 1-5 mm bovine follicles were established for 2 days in medium containing 10% fetal calf serum, washed and then cultured in chemically defined medium for an additional 2 days.

Effect of human growth hormone-releasing factor and a potent analog on antibody formation in African green monkeys.

African Green monkeys were injected (2 x daily subcutaneously for six months) with human GRF(1-44)-NH2 (10 micrograms/kg BW) or a more potent analog, [desNH2Tyr1,Ala15]-hGRF(1-29)-NH2 (2 micrograms/kg BW) to determine the potential of each peptide to induce antibody formation. Blood samples were taken every two weeks, diluted 1:100 and tested for ability to bind radioiodinated hGRF. One animal in the hGRF(1-44)-NH2 group [N = 6] produced low-titer GRF antibodies by 6 weeks (19% binding) and continued throughout the 24 weeks of treatment (average = 50-60% binding).

Characterization of growth hormone releasing factor analog expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

An analog of growth hormone releasing factor (GRF), [Leu27]GRF(1-40)-OH, has been expressed and secreted in Saccharomyces cerevisiae under the control of the alpha-factor gene promoter and prepro sequence. A single pair of consecutive basic residues served as a processing site between the alpha-factor sequences and the GRF sequences. [Leu27]GRF(1-40)-OH from fermentor broth containing 20-30 mg/L of immunoreactive peptides was shown to be correctly processed and to possess biological activity as measured in vitro and in vivo.

Serum glucose and free fatty acids modulate growth hormone and luteinizing hormone secretion in the pig.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of free fatty acids (FFA) and glucose treatment on growth hormone (GH) and luteinizing hormone secretion in the pig. In Experiment (Exp) 1, 15 prepuberal gilts received an intravenous infusion of FFA (n = 5; 3 ml of 10% Liposyn II/kg), glucose (n = 5; 1 g/kg), or saline (n = 5; 3 ml of 0.9%/kg).

GRF analogs and fragments: correlation between receptor binding, activity and structure.

GH-releasing activity in vitro was directly correlated with GRF receptor binding affinity for all hGRF analogs examined. hGRF(1-29)-NH2 analogs with Ala15-substitution (for Gly15) displayed 4-5 times higher affinity for the GRF receptor relative to hGRF(1-44)-NH2. Replacement of Gly15 with Sar15 resulted in a dramatic loss of activity and receptor binding.

In vitro stability of growth hormone releasing factor (GRF) analogs in porcine plasma.

The stability of growth-hormone releasing factor (growth regulating factor; GRF) analogs in porcine plasma was examined. GRF analogs were incubated in porcine plasma at 37 degrees C, extracted and subsequently analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). GRF(1-29)-NH2 was rapidly broken down in the plasma with a degradation rate of t1/2 = 13 min.

Growth performance and carcass composition of lambs infused for 28 days with a growth hormone-releasing factor analogue.

A human growth hormone-releasing factor analogue, [DesNH2Tyr1,D-Ala2,Ala15]hGRF(1-29)NH2 (GRF-A), was infused s.c. into lambs for 28 d to determine its effects on growth performance and carcass composition.

Effect of a potent analog of human growth hormone-releasing factor on carcass composition and quality of crossbred market pigs.

The effect of a human growth hormone-releasing factor (hGRF) analog ([desamino-Tyr1, D-Ala2, Ala15] hGRF(1-29)NH2) on the carcass composition of crossbred barrows was evaluated. pH, color and collagen content were measured on 74 animals distributed among the following five treatments started at about 50 kg BW: T1, control saline three times daily (TID); T2, hGRF analog (1.66 micrograms/kg, TID); T3, hGRF analog (3.

Effect of dose and frequency of administration of a potent analog of human growth hormone-releasing factor on hormone secretion and growth in pigs.

Ninety-six pigs (49.5 +/- .5 kg BW) were allotted to six treatments and were injected once (SID) or three times daily (TID) s.

Opioid control of growth hormone in the suckled sow is primarily mediated through growth hormone releasing factor.

Endogenous opioid peptides mediate the effect of suckling on LH and PRL in the domestic pig. However, the role of opioids in modulating GH during lactation in swine is not known. Primiparous sows that had been immunized against GRF(1-29) conjugated to human serum albumin (GRF-HSA, n = 5) or HSA (n = 4) were used to determine changes in GH after naloxone.

Active immunization of pigs against growth hormone-releasing factor: effect on concentrations of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1.

Cyclic gilts (96 +/- 1 kg) were used to determine the effect of active immunization against growth hormone-releasing factor GRF(1-29)-NH2 on concentrations of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Gilts were immunized against GRF conjugated to human serum albumin (GRF-HSA, n = 5) or HSA alone at 180 d of age (wk 0). Booster doses were administered at wk 9 and 13.

Synthesis, biological activity and conformational analysis of cyclic GRF analogs.

A novel cyclic GRF analog, cyclo(Asp8-Lys12)-[Asp8,Ala15]-GRF(1-29)-NH2, i.e. cyclo8,12[Asp8,Ala15]-GRF(1-29)-NH2, was synthesized by the solid phase procedure and found to retain significant biological activity.

Use of osmotic pumps for subcutaneous infusion of growth hormone-releasing factors in steers and wethers.

Osmotic pumps were evaluated for 7-d delivery of growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF). In Exp. 1, 12 steers weighing 253 kg received hGRF(1-29)NH2 in H2O at rates of 0, 3, 30 and 300 pmol.

Isolation and characterization of growth hormone from blue fox pituitary glands.

Growth hormone has been purified to homogeneity from blue fox pituitary glands. It has 191 amino acids with two disulfide bridges and a single tryptophan residue. The somatotropin activity is only 8% when compared with the bovine hormone in the receptor-binding assay.

Pyrido[2,1-b]quinazolinecarboxamide derivatives as platelet activating factor antagonists.

A series of N-[(heteroaryl)alkyl]pyrido[2,1-b]quinazolines were evaluated for their ability to inhibit the binding of radiolabeled platelet activating factor (PAF) to its receptor on dog platelets. The most potent compounds in this series were found to be pyrido[2,1-b]quinazoline-8-carboxamides possessing a four- or six-carbon chain between the carboxamide nitrogen atom and a 3-pyridinyl or 5-pyrimidinyl moiety. Since earlier metabolism studies with pyridoquinazolinecarboxamides suggest that the carboxamide moiety is labile to hydrolysis in vivo, attempts were made to find isosteric replacements for this group.

Metabolites of an antipsychotic chiral pyrroloisoquinoline and their effect on prolactin secretion in the rat.

Racemic-2, 6-dimethyl-3-ethyl- 4,4a,5,6,7,8,8a, 9-octahydro-4a,8a-trans-1H-pyrrolo[2, 3-g]isoquinoline-4-one hydrochloride (rac-l HCl) appeared to be equipotent to haloperidol in increasing serum prolactin levels in rats although only about one-twentieth as potent as haloperidol in reversing dopamine-inhibited prolactin release by rat anterior pituitary cells in vitro. The metabolism of 14C-labeled rac-l HCl was studied in rats and the activity of metabolites was evaluated in the in vitro prolactin release assay. Four metabolites, two C11-monohydroxy diastereomers and one C10-and one C12-monohydroxy metabolite, plus parent drug were isolated from the urine of rats administered [14C]rac-l HCl.

Catalytic hydrogenolysis in liquid ammonia. Cleavage of Nalpha-benzyloxycarbonyl groups from cysteine-containing peptides with tert-butyl side chain protection. Application to a stepwise synthesis of somatostatin.

To exemplify the extension to synthesis of sulfur-containing peptides of the Nalpha-benzyloxycarbonyl and side chain tert-butyl protective group combination, somatostatin has been synthesized via incremental chain elongation starting from the COOH-terminal cysteine. Cleavage of the Nalpha-benzyloxycarbonyl groups was achieved in high yield, at each stage, by palladium-catalyzed hydrogenation in liquid ammonia. All side chain functionalities including the cysteine thiol groups were blocked by tert-butyl-derived groups.

Synthesis, biological activity, and tritiation of L-3, 4-dehydroproline-containing peptides.

A series of analogs of thyroliberin (TRH) ([L-delta3Pro3]-TRH, [D-delta3Pro3]-TRH, [L-3-MeHis2, L-delta3Pro3]-TRH) in which proline was replaced by L- or D-3, 4-dehydroproline was synthesized. The analogs exhibited approximately the same biological activity as the corresponding proline-containing peptides. These analogs and others in which 3, 4-dehydroproline is present at the NH2-terminal, COOH-terminal or internal positions in the peptide were successfully reduced with deuterium or tritium to provide the 3, 4-2H2-proline or 3,4-3H2-proline analogs, respectively, with near theoretical values of substitution.