Growth hormone-releasing hormone antibodies suppress sleep and prevent enhancement of sleep after sleep deprivation.

Abstract

Previous reports suggest that the hypothalamic growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) promotes sleep, especially non-rapid-eye-movement sleep (NREMS). To evaluate the role of endogenous GHRH in sleep regulation, the effects of antibodies to rat GHRH (GHRH-ab) were studied on normal sleep, brain temperature (Tbr), and GH secretion in experiment I and on enhanced sleep after sleep deprivation in experiment II. In experiment I, affinity-purified GHRH-ab (50 and 200 micrograms) raised in goats and a control goat immunoglobulin G (IgG) preparation were injected intracerebroventricularly (icv) in rats 1 h before the onset of the light cycle, and sleep-wake activity and Tbr were recorded for the next 12 or 23 h. Both doses of GHRH-ab suppressed NREMS and REMS throughout the light cycle. Sleep durations at night were normal. Electroencephalographic (EEG) slow-wave activity, characterized by EEG slow-wave amplitudes, was reduced after GHRH-ab during both the light and the dark cycles. Plasma GH concentrations measured 6-12 h after injection of GHRH-ab (200 micrograms) were diminished. Both the control IgG and GHRH-ab elicited fever. In experiment II, the sleep-wake activity and Tbr of rats were recorded for 24 h in three experimental conditions: base-line with icv injection of IgG, 3-h sleep deprivation with icv IgG injection, and 3-h sleep deprivation with icv GHRH-ab (200 micrograms). After sleep deprivation (+IgG), a prompt increase in EEG slow-wave activity (power density analysis) and late increases in NREMS and REMS durations were found.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

• Authors: F Obál Jr, L Payne, M Opp, P Alföldi, L Kapás, J M Krueger
• Journal: The American journal of physiology (Am J Physiol) Vol. 263 Issue 5 Pt 2 Pg. R1078-85 (Nov 1992) ISSN: 0002-9513 [Print] United States
• PMID: 1443226 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Antibodies
• Growth Hormone
• Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone

Topics

• Animals
• Antibodies (administration & dosage, immunology)
• Body Temperature
• Brain (physiology)
• Growth Hormone (metabolism)
• Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone (immunology)
• Injections, Intraventricular
• Male
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Sleep (physiology)
• Sleep Deprivation (physiology)