Cortistatin-17 and somatostatin-14 display the same effects on growth hormone, prolactin, and insulin secretion in patients with acromegaly or prolactinoma.

ABSTRACT

CONTEXT Cortistatin binds all somatostatin receptor subtypes but also has particular central actions; moreover, a specific cortistatin receptor has also been discovered. OBJECTIVE: We compared the endocrine effects of cortistatin-17 with those of somatostatin-14 in patients with acromegaly (ACRO) or prolactinoma (PRLOMA). Normal subjects (NS) were studied as control group. DESIGN: All subjects underwent the following tests 1) saline, 2) somatostatin-14 (2.0 microg/kg.h iv, 0-120 min) and 3) cortistatin-17 (2.0 microg/kg.h iv, 0-120 min) infusion. RESULTS: Cortistatin-17 and somatostatin-14 inhibited GH secretion to the same extent in ACRO (P < 0.05) and NS (P < 0.01). Cortistatin-17 and somatostatin-14 inhibited PRL secretion in PRLOMA (P < 0.05), to some extent in ACRO (P value not significant), but not in NS. Insulin secretion was inhibited by both cortistatin-17 and somatostatin-14 to the same extent in all groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Cortistatin-17 and somatostatin-14 display the same effects on GH, PRL, and insulin secretion in patients with ACRO or PRLOMA.