L-Tryptophan injection enhances pulsatile growth hormone secretion in the rat

The effect of injecting L-tryptophan or a serotonin receptor agonist [6-Cl-2-[1-piperazinyl]pyrazine ((MK0212)] on pulsatile GH secretion was studied in male rats bearing right atrial cannulae. After injection, blood samples were drawn at 15-min intervals for periods up to 4 h. L-Tryptophan administration (50 or 100 mg/kg, ip) significantly enhanced mean plasma GH levels measured over a 3.5-h period. Injection of another large neutral amino acid, L-valine (100 mg/kg, ip), did not influence plasma GH levels. However, when administered with tryptophan, valine blocked the tryptophan-induced enhancement of GH secretion and blunted the increases in brain tryptophan and serotonin levels that normally accompany tryptophan injection. Injection of MK-212 (2 mg/kg, ip) elicited an immediate rise in plasma GH levels; this effect was completely blocked by pretreatment with metergoline (2 mg/kg, ip), a serotonin receptor antagonist. Taken together, these data support the notion that treatments which increase serotonin receptor stimulation enhance or induce pulsatile GH secretion.