Huang W, Yao B, Sun L, Pu R, Wang L, Zhang R
Department of Histology and Embryology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China.
Life Sci. 2001 Mar 2;68(15):1727-34. doi: 10.1016/s0024-3205(01)00968-7.
GnRH(LH-RH) is first discovered in the hypothalamus and found to have a role in regulation of reproduction. With the study on it deepening, GnRH was demonnstrated that it also exists in a number of organs beyond the hypothalamus and acts on extrapituitary organs. To study whether digestive tract synthesizes GnRH and its receptor and, if it does, by what cells. In the experiment, the locallizations of GnRH and its receptors in rat digestive tract were studied using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. The parietal cells of gastric gland, the villous and glandular epithelium in small and large intestine and parasympathetic ganglion cells of myenteric plexus showed GnRH immunoreactivity; GnRH mRNA hybridization signal was detected. The epithelium of gastric pit and the cells above in digestive tract showed GnRH receptor immunoreactivity; GnRH receptor mRNA hybridization signal was detected. The immunoreactive and signal materials distributed in cytoplasm of all positive cells, with nuclei being immunonegative and with no hybridization signal. These results suggested that the digestive tract can produce GnRH and express GnRH receptor; GnRH may also be a gastrointestinal hormone.
促性腺激素释放激素（GnRH，促黄体生成素释放激素[LH-RH]）最初是在下丘脑中发现的，并被发现对生殖调节有作用。随着对其研究的深入，人们证实GnRH也存在于下丘脑以外的许多器官中，并作用于垂体外器官。为了研究消化道是否合成GnRH及其受体，如果合成，是由哪些细胞合成。在该实验中，使用免疫组织化学和原位杂交技术研究了大鼠消化道中GnRH及其受体的定位。胃腺壁细胞、小肠和大肠的绒毛及腺上皮以及肌间神经丛的副交感神经节细胞显示出GnRH免疫反应性；检测到GnRH mRNA杂交信号。胃小凹上皮及消化道上方的细胞显示出GnRH受体免疫反应性；检测到GnRH受体mRNA杂交信号。免疫反应性和信号物质分布于所有阳性细胞的细胞质中，细胞核呈免疫阴性且无杂交信号。这些结果表明，消化道能够产生GnRH并表达GnRH受体；GnRH也可能是一种胃肠激素。
