Abstract
HGH has been found to inhibit glucose consumption in the intact erythrocyte and in hemolysates. The inhibition is dose dependent and species specific. Inhibition of glucose consumption is associated with a rise in red cell levels of glucose-6-phosphate and fructose-6-phosphate and with an increase in the % of the glucose metabolized via the pentose pathway. These effects suggest that HGH may alter red cell glucose consumption by inhibition of phosphofructokinase activity.
Incubation of crude HGH in a final concentration of 128 μg/ml produced a 55.1±4.7 % decrease in red cell glucose consumption in 21 normal adults. Red cells from premature infants showed a 37.5 % inhibition, term infants 45.9 %, children 3 months to 12 years 51.2 %, and individuals over age 65 only 17.0 %. Five patients with hypopituitarism responded in a normal fashion—52.4% inhibition while 3 patients of short stature with normal levels of HGH showed responses of only 19.9, 18.2 and 12.3 % and one of these individuals showed no growth response after 3 months of HGH therapy. The decreased inhibitory effect observed in the erythrocytes of premature infants, the aged, and in certain individuals with short stature may reflect end organ unresponsiveness. This simple in vitro test may be useful in predicting HGH responsiveness and in further defining the mechanism of action of this hormone in a cell that metabolizes only carbohydrates. (SPR)
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Oski, F., Root, A. 11 The Effect of Human Growth Hormone (HGH) on Red Cell Glucose Metabolism. Pediatr Res 1, 202–203 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-196705000-00018
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-196705000-00018