Somatostatin receptor subtype 1 modulates basal inhibition of growth hormone release in somatotrophs.

Somatostatin (SST) inhibits the secretion of many peptide hormones including growth hormone (GH). The various functions of SST are mediated through at least five different receptor subtypes (SSTR1-5), their precise physiological roles have not been solved yet. Here we report on studies concerning the functional role of SSTR1 in the modulation of GH release from somatotrophs. Primary cell cultures from pituitaries of wild-type SSTR1 mice exposed to the SSTR1 selective somatostatin analog CH-275 show reduction of basal levels of GH secretion whereas somatotrophs isolated from SSTR1 null mutant mice did not respond to the agonist-mediated effect. This suggests that SSTR1 is involved in modulating basal GH levels in primary pituitary cell cultures and, together with SSTR2, may control the secretion of GH in the body.