TISSUE-SPECIFIC MOLECULAR HETEROGENEITY OF HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE-RELEASING HORMONE-RECEPTOR PROTEIN

A site-directed anti-peptide antibody (anti-hGHRHRc18) was generated a gainst the cytoplasmic tail of human GHRH receptor. The dissociation c onstant (K-d) and the antibody binding site (AbT) of anti-hGHRHRc18 we re 2.5 nmol/l and 0.54 nmol/l, respectively, In an immunoblotting expe riment, affinity-purified anti-hGHRHRc18 specifically recognized a sin gle 50-kDa protein in human pituitary, In a screening of the expressio n of GHRH receptor protein in extra-pituitary tissues, only human kidn ey showed a single 52-kDa protein, Our results suggest that the GHRH r eceptor protein exhibits tissue-specific molecular heterogeneity.