PMID: 9534309Apr 16, 1998Paper

Hexarelin, a growth hormone-releasing peptide, discloses protectant activity against cardiovascular damage in rats with isolated growth hormone deficiency

Cardiologia : bollettino della Società italiana di cardiologia
V De Gennaro ColonnaF Berti

Abstract

The ability of hexarelin, a recently synthesized hexapeptide with a remarkable growth hormone (GH)-releasing activity, to reverse signs of cardiovascular dysfunction in GH-deficient animals was studied in young male rats made GH deficient by the administration of an anti-GH-releasing hormone serum (GHRH-Ab) for 20 days. Heart preparations from GHRH-Ab treated rats, subjected to low-flow ischemia and reperfusion, showed: a progressive increase of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure during the ischemic period and a poor recovery of contractility at reperfusion as compared to control hearts; a decreased rate of formation of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, the stable metabolite of prostacyclin, in perfusates of both preischemic and reperfusion period; an increased vasopressor activity of angiotensin II on the coronary vasculature. The endothelium-dependent relaxing function in GH-deficient rats was also evaluated in aortic ring preparations, which showed: a decreased rate of formation of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, an hyperreactivity to endothelin-1, a markedly reduced vasopressor response to NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor) and a decreased vasodilator response to acetylcholine of precontracted aortic tissue. Hexarelin ...Continue Reading

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