Physiological studies of transgenic mice overexpressing growth hormone (GH) secretagogue receptor 1A in GH-releasing hormone neurons.

The type 1A GH secretagogue (GHS) receptor (GHSR) has been proposed to mediate the effects of ghrelin on GH release, food intake, and body composition. We have overexpressed GHSR in GH-producing GC cells and GHRH neurons in an attempt to enhance signaling via this pathway selectively, in the GH axis. Constitutive overexpression of human GHSR in rat GC cell lines resulted in increased basal phosphoinositol turnover and rendered them responsive to GHS ligands.