GHRF causes biphasic stimulation of SRIF secretion from rat hypothalamic cells

The complex interactions of the hypothalamic releasing Peptides somatostatin (SRIF) and growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone (GHRF), which regulate GH secretion, are still incompletely understood. To further scrutinize these interactions, we have studied the effects of GHRF on SRIF secretion from dispersed adult rat hypothalamic cells. Rat GHRF caused calcium- and dose-dependent stimulation of SRIF release in static 1-h incubations. SRIF release was stimulated by GHRF in a concentration range of 1-100 nM. However, the extended dose-response curve was biphasic in nature, with a significantly lower SRIF response in the presence of 1 microM GHRF vs. 100 nM GHRF. SRIF release, stimulated by another secretagogue (10 microM veratridine), was not affected by the presence or absence of 1 microM GHRF, suggesting the lack of toxic impairment of hypothalamic cell function by GHRF at this concentration. In conclusion, a biphasic stimulatory pattern of SRIF secretion in response to GHRF was observed in experiments employing dispersed rat hypothalamic cells. The biphasic SRIF response pattern to GHRF may be relevant in the physiological regulation of GH secretion.