Modified GRF (1-29) often abbreviated as mod GRF (1-29), originally known as tetrasubstituted GRF (1-29), is a term used to identify a 29

amino acid Amino acids are organic compounds that contain both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. Although hundreds of amino acids exist in nature, by far the most important are the alpha-amino acids, which comprise proteins. Only 22 alpha am ...

peptide Peptides (, ) are short chains of amino acids linked by peptide bonds. Long chains of amino acids are called proteins. Chains of fewer than twenty amino acids are called oligopeptides, and include dipeptides, tripeptides, and tetrapeptides. A ...

analogue of growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), a

releasing hormone Releasing hormones and inhibiting hormones are hormones whose main purpose is to control the release of other hormones, either by stimulating or inhibiting their release. They are also called liberins () and statins () (respectively), or releasing ...

growth hormone Growth hormone (GH) or somatotropin, also known as human growth hormone (hGH or HGH) in its human form, is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, cell reproduction, and cell regeneration in humans and other animals. It is thus important in h ...

(GH). It is a modified version of the shortest fully functional fragment of GHRH, often referred to as growth hormone releasing factor (1-29) (abbreviated as GRF (1-29)), and also known by its standardized name,

sermorelin Sermorelin acetate (; brand names Geref, Gerel), also known as GHRH (1-29), is a peptide analogue of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) which is used as a diagnostic agent to assess growth hormone (GH) secretion for the purpose of diagno ...

Origin

The first 29 amino acids of GHRH were discovered to be as equally potent as its full 44 amino acid structure This fragment became known as GRF (1-29). However, due to a rapid metabolic clearance analogues of GRF (1-29) were synthesized to enhance the biological activity and reduce the rapidity of metabolic clearance. These analogues were primarily created by substituting amino acids within the peptide structure for amino acids more resistant to enzymatic cleavage. One early analogue substituted the amino acid L-alanine (abbreviated as Ala or A) at the 2nd position of the peptide structure for its

optical isomer In chemistry, a molecule or ion is called chiral () if it cannot be superposed on its mirror image by any combination of rotations, translations, and some conformational changes. This geometric property is called chirality (). The terms are d ...

(mirror image), D-alanine (abbreviated as D-Ala). This substitution resulted in a peptide bond between D-Ala and the 3rd amino acid in the structure

aspartic acid Aspartic acid (symbol Asp or D; the ionic form is known as aspartate), is an α-amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. Like all other amino acids, it contains an amino group and a carboxylic acid. Its α-amino group is in the pro ...

(Asp) more able to resist rapid cleavage by the enzyme

dipeptidyl peptidase-4 Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4), also known as adenosine deaminase complexing protein 2 or CD26 (cluster of differentiation 26) is a protein that, in humans, is encoded by the ''DPP4'' gene. DPP4 is related to FAP, DPP8, and DPP9. The enzyme was d ...

, a cleavage which had previously led to an inactive peptide fragment. This successful modification prompted the further creation of analogues with additional amino acid substitutions. In 2005, the first specific mention of tetrasubstituted GRF (1-29) appeared in a study that used it as one of the GRF (1-29) analogue peptide structures studied. The term was used to describe the replacement of the 2nd, 8th, 15th, and 27th amino acids in the structure of GRF (1-29). In 2008, a researcher known as DatBtrue created the term modified GRF (1-29) in place of tetrasubstitued GRF (1-29) in his public articles. Continued use of the term on public and private forums has popularized and standardized the nomenclature.

Effect

Modified GRF (1-29) acts to increase growth hormone production and release by binding to the growth-hormone-releasing hormone receptor (GHRHR) on cells in the anterior pituitary.

Structure

GRF (1-29), also known as sermorelin (Tyr-Ala-Asp-Ala-Ile-Phe-Thr-Asn-Ser-Tyr-Arg-Lys-Val-Leu-Gly-Gln-Leu-Ser-Ala-Arg-Lys-Leu-Leu-Gln-Asp-Ile-Met-Ser-Arg-NH₂), the biologically-active portion of the 44 amino acid GHRH. Half-life "less than 10 minutes", perhaps as low as 5 minutes. Mod GRF (1-29) replacement of the 2nd, 8th, 15th, and 27th amino acids of GRF (1-29) yields modified GRF(1-29) (Tyr-D-Ala-Asp-Ala-Ile-Phe-Thr-Gln-Ser-Tyr-Arg-Lys-Val-Leu-Ala-Gln-Leu-Ser-Ala-Arg-Lys-Leu-Leu-Gln-Asp-Ile-Leu-Ser-Arg-NH₂). Half-life at least 30 minutes.

References

{{GH/IGF-1 axis signaling modulators Growth hormone secretagogues Growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor agonists Peptides

Origin

Effect

Structure

See also

References