*Immune Functions During Treatment of Growth Hormone-Deficient Children with Biosynthetic Human Growth Hormone

Abstract

Immune functions, including cell surface markers, interleukin-2 receptor levels and responses of lymphocytes to mitogenic stimulation were evaluated in seven growth hormone deficient children ages 4-15 years, during treatment with biosynthetically derived human growth hormone. Treatment resulted in a decrease in % B cells and in % T total cells and also decreases in most individual patients' mitogen responses and interleukin-2 receptor levels. Most of the changes noted were transient and similar to those previously demonstrated during pituitary-derived human growth hormone treatment. Although not resulting in overt clinical manifestations in our patients, we think that potential interactions between growth hormone and immune functions need to be considered by physicians treating children with growth hormone.

Immune function during GH treatment in GH‐deficient adults: an 18‐month randomized, placebo‐controlled, double‐blinded trial

“…NK cell activity was lower in GHD children than in controls (Crist et al ., 1987; Kiess et al ., 1988; Matsuura et al ., 1989; Bozzola et al ., 1990; Span et al ., 1996), but also normal NK cell activity has been reported (Spadoni et al ., 1991; Manfredi et al ., 1994). Treatment with GH in GHD children induced a fall in the absolute number of B cells (Spadoni et al ., 1991) and the percentage of B cells (CD‐19+Petersen et al ., 1990; Rapaport et al ., 1991).…”

Subclinical activation of lupus nephritis by recombinant human growth hormone

“…In earlier reports, the use of GH in GH-deficient children has been shown to transiently decrease the T-and B-cell counts [5], as well as lymphocyte mitogen responses and interleukin-2 receptor expression [6]. However, in patients with acromegaly where GH levels are elevated, both CD4+ and CD8+ cells showed significantly higher expression of transferrin receptors, indicative of enhanced T-cell activity [7].…”

Humoral Immune Response in Mice Over-expressing or Deficient in Growth Hormone

“…However, our findings do correlate with other find-ings. For example, implantation of GH 3 cells does not augment progenitor T cell numbers in nude rats (59), T cell percentages decrease during GH therapy in GH-deficient children (10), and splenic CD4+ and CD8+ T cell populations are lower in MT-bGH20-transgenic mice than in their normal littermates (51). Peripheral CDI9+ B cell numbers were very similar in tg, Ntg, and df mice.…”

“…GH is required for normal linear growth and metabolism (5,9). Children and adults diagnosed with GH deficiency or impaired release of GH from the pituitary have been administered GH to promote growth and improve body composition, respectively (5,(9)(10)(11)(12). GH has also been administered to trauma patients and individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to improve meta-' bolic functions such as protein synthesis, gain lean body mass and boost immune functions (13)(14)(15)(16)(17).…”