Assessment of GH releasing hormone activity in sephadex-separated fractions of porcine hypothalamic extracts by hypophyseal portal vessel infusion in the rat.

Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GH-RH) activity in Sephadex G-25 fractions of porcine stalk median eminence (SME) extracts was examined in vivo by infusing these samples into a rat hypophyseal portal vessel. The increment of immunoreactive GH levels in the serum was used as the index for GH-RH activity. The GH-RH activities were found in two different locations: in the early fractions Nos. 3-4, and in somewhat retarded fraction No. 7. These GH-RH activities were not due to TRH, vasopressin, or potassium. The location of LH releasing hormone (LH-RH) and prolactin release-inhibiting hormone (PR-IH) determined in this in vivo system was in agreement with those found in other in vivo and in vitro assay systems for LH-RH and PR-IH, respectively. These results help validate this assay system.