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Enhanced growth by ectopic expression of growth hormone releasing hormone using an injectable myogenic vector

Nature Biotechnology volume 15, pages 1285–1289 (1997)Cite this article

Abstract

Ectopic expression of a truncated growth hormone–releasing hormone (GHRH) from muscle tissues by a myogenic plasmid DNA vector directed by the skeletal α-actin promoter, pSK-GHRH, results in growth hormone (GH) secretion. Skeletal muscle-secreted GHRH is biologically active. The application of conditioned media harvested from pSK-GHRH transfected muscle cells to cultured pig primary anterior pituitary cells elicits GH release. A single intramuscular injection of 100 μg pSK-GHRH DNA elevates serum GH levels threefold to fourfold for up to 2 weeks, enhancing liver IGF-1 gene expression and increasing body weight approximately 10%.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030

    Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, Xuyang Li & Robert J. Schwartz

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Draghia-Akli, R., Li, X. & Schwartz, R. Enhanced growth by ectopic expression of growth hormone releasing hormone using an injectable myogenic vector. Nat Biotechnol 15, 1285–1289 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt1197-1285

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