H. Saito et al., SECRETORY PROFILE OF IMMUNOREACTIVE GROWTH HORMONE-RELEASING HORMONE (IR-GHRH) DURING SLEEP IN MAN AND ITS CLINICAL-VALUE, Hormone and Metabolic Research, 29(9), 1997, pp. 422-426
To clarify the role of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) in the
regulation of the episodic growth hormone (GH) secretion which is know
n to occur constantly in the initial slow wave stage of nocturnal stee
p in man, we studied the relation between the secretions of plasma imm
unoreactive (IR)-GHRH and GH while recording electroencephalograms. In
subjects who showed a normal sleep pattern, the plasma IR-GHRH level
increased 3- to 4-fold just before the surge of plasma GH, suggesting
that GH release In the initial slow wave stage of sleep is mainly medi
ated by GHRH, However, when there was an apparent GH surge just before
the onset of sleep, the magnitude of the GH response associated with
the initial slow wave stage tended to be blunted, even when sufficient
IR-GHRH was released. We also observed no appreciable fluctuations of
plasma IR-GHRH during nocturnal sleep in a patient: diagnosed as havi
ng GH-deficient dwarfism, suggesting the primary lesion was on the hyp
othalamus level, not the pituitary, in such a patient. In a case of mu
ltiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type I with an ectopic GHRH-producing
pancreatic tumor, no remarkable elevation of plasma IR-GHRH was detec
ted in the initial slow wave stage of nocturnal sleep, We conclude tha
t the present study is significant not, only in demonstrating the phys
iology of GHRH release, but also in establishing a safe, reliable and
practical test For routine clinical use to investigate intrinsic abili
ty to release GHRH and the primary lesions in patients with disorders
of GH secretion.