Abstract
In 18 short children treated with hGH we investigated the ability of this hormone to influence the serum levels of immunoglobulins, in vitro IgM production, mitogen-stimulated lymphoproliferation, Sm-C and serum growth-promoting activity (Thymidine Activity, TA). Blood was collected before treatment (Gr. A), then on the 5th day following a 4 day course of daily hGH (0.1 U/kg) i.m. injections (Gr. B), then again after a 3 month course of hGH three times weekly (Gr. C). Lymphocytes were separated by centrifugation of Ficoll-Isopaque. The IgM production from the patients' unstimulated lymphocytes in vitro decreased from 277±41 (Gr. A), to 168±38 (Gr. B) and 119±43 ng/ml (Gr. C) (p 0.05). Using stimulated lymphocytes it decreased from 2015±464 (Gr. A) to 116±316 (Gr. B) and then to 511±170 ng/ml (Gr. C) (p 0.02). The variation of this decrease is correlated with the variation of growth velocity during treatment (r = 0.619, p 0.05), In contrast no significant changes were found following therapy neither in the serum levels of IgA, IgE, IgG, IgM, Sm-C and TA, nor in PHA, ConA and PWM-stimulated lymphoproliferation. Our data suggest some relationship between growth hormone, growth and immunity.
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Bozzola, M., Maccario, R., De Amici, M. et al. HUMORAL AND CELL-MEDIATED IMMUNE RESPONSE IN SHORT CHILDREN: EFFECT OF THERAPY WITH hGH. Pediatr Res 20, 1182 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198611000-00049
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198611000-00049