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ORIGINAL PAPER
QRFP43 modulates somatotrophic axis activity in female sheep
1
The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Animal Physiology, Instytucka 3, 05-110 Jabłonna, Poland
These authors had equal contribution to this work
Publication date: 2025-06-23
Corresponding author
B. J. Przybył
The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Animal Physiology, Instytucka 3, 05-110 Jabłonna, Poland
The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Animal Physiology, Instytucka 3, 05-110 Jabłonna, Poland
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
RFamide (RFa) peptides are a large family of neuropeptides present
in all groups of vertebrates. Members of this family have been shown to play
many physiological roles in neuroendocrine, behavioral, sensory and autonomic
functions. QRFP43 is one of the youngest members of this peptide family,
which have been suggested to affect somatotrophic axis activity, mainly through
changes in blood GH levels. The aim of the study was to investigate the role of
QRFP43 in regulation of the somatotrophic axis hormones activity. The research
hypothesis posited that QRFP43 could modulate gene expression, storage and
release of somatotrophic axis hormones at the level of the hypothalamus and
pituitary. The animals (n = 48) were randomly divided into three experimental
groups: a control group receiving an intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of
Ringer-Locke solution, and two experimental groups administered ICV infusions
of QRFP43 at doses of 10 and 50 μg per day. All sheep received four 50-min
ICV infusions with 30-min intervals between infusion, on three consecutive days.
Hypothalamic structures and pituitary were collected and preserved for further
analyses. The results of the present study have demonstrated that QRFP43
may exert an inhibitory effect on somatostatin expression in the hypothalamus,
while increasing growth hormone releasing hormone levels in the median
eminence, leading to stimulation of growth hormone synthesis in the pituitary
gland of sheep. Furthermore, QRFP43 administration increased the mean GH
concentration in the blood plasma. Summarizing, QRFP43 may modulate the
somatotrophic axis activity in female sheep.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors express their gratitude to veterinary surgeons K. Roszkowicz-Ostrowska and D. Szkopek, for their assistance in brain surgery. Appreciation is also extended to A. Misztal and K. Biernacka for their help with the experiments and radioimmunological analyses. Special thanks are given to W. Mrozek and R. Druchniak for their excellent care of the animals during the study and I. Wiecka-Bączyńska for providing animal dental equipment.
FUNDING
This research was supported by the funds provided by the National Science Centre, Poland, PRELUDIUM 17 grant No. 2019/33/N/NZ9/00287.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.
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