Orexins (hypocretins) actions on the GHRH/somatostatin-GH axis

  1. M. López1,2,
  2. R. Nogueiras1,2,
  3. M. Tena-Sempere2,3,
  4. C. Diéguez1,2

Article first published online: 21 SEP 2009

DOI: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.2009.02042.x

Issue

Acta Physiologica

Acta Physiologica

Special Issue: 16TH ACTA PHYSIOLOGICA INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ‘10 YEARS OF HYPOCRETINS/OREXINS-PHYSIOLOGY AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY’

Volume 198, Issue 3, pages 325–334, March 2010

Additional Information

How to Cite

López, M., Nogueiras, R., Tena-Sempere, M. and Diéguez, C. (2010), Orexins (hypocretins) actions on the GHRH/somatostatin-GH axis. Acta Physiologica, 198: 325–334. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.2009.02042.x

Author Information

  1. 1

     Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela-Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

  2. 2

     CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Santiago de Compostela (A Coruña), Spain

  3. 3

     Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain

*M. López & C. Diéguez, Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria & CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), S. Francisco s/n, 15782 Santiago de Compostela (A Coruña), Spain. E-mail: m.lopez@usc.es; carlos.dieguez@usc.es

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 28 JAN 2010
  2. Article first published online: 21 SEP 2009
  3. Received 2 April 2009, revision requested 25 May 2009, final revision received 25 August 2009, accepted 14 September 2009

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Keywords:

  • growth hormone;
  • growth hormone-releasing hormone;
  • hypothalamus;
  • orexins/hypocretins;
  • pituitary;
  • somatostatin

Abstract

The secretion of growth hormone (GH) is regulated through a complex neuroendocrine control system that includes two major hypothalamic regulators, namely GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) and somatostatin (SST) that stimulate and inhibit, respectively, GH release. Classical experiments involving damage and electrical stimulation suggested that the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) modulated the somatotropic axis, but the responsible molecular mechanisms were unclear. Evidence obtained during the last decade has demonstrated that orexins/hypocretins, a family of peptides expressed in the LHA controlling feeding and sleep, play an important regulatory role on GH, by inhibiting its secretion modulating GHRH and SST neurones. Considering that GH release is closely linked to the sleep–wake cycle and feeding state, understanding orexin/hypocretin physiology could open new therapeutic possibilities in the treatment of sleep, energy homeostasis and GH-related pathologies, such as GH deficiency.

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