Significance of chloride channel activation in the gamma-aminobutyric acid induced growth hormone secretion in the neonatal rat pituitary.

Growth hormone (GH) secretion of the neonatal pituitary is stimulated by tau-aminobutyric acid (GABA) (1,2). Since in most cases GABA is known to act by increasing postsynaptic membrane permeability to chloride ions we tested the importance of chloride channel activation in the GH stimulatory effect of GABA in the neonatal pituitary. In the absence of chloride in the superfusion medium GABA was without effect on GH secretion of the neonatal pituitaries and its effect was attenuated by chloride channel inhibitors. The effect of growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) on GH secretion was attenuated in the chloride-free media, but it was not affected by simultaneous administration of chloride channel blockers. The present study indicates that GH stimulatory effect of GABA in the neonatal pituitaries might involve chloride channel activation probably resulting in secondary activation of calcium channels.