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High affinity growth hormone binding protein in plasma of patients with acromegaly and the effect of octreotide treatment
Author(s) -
Roelen C. A. M.,
Donker G. H.,
Thijssen J. H. H.,
Koppeschaar H. P. F.,
Blankenstein M. A.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
clinical endocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1365-2265
pISSN - 0300-0664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1992.tb02341.x
Subject(s) - acromegaly , medicine , octreotide , endocrinology , growth hormone binding protein , hormone , growth hormone , somatostatin , growth hormone receptor
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of plasma GH‐levels on the high affinity growth hormone bindng protein (GHBP). PATIENTS We studied plasma samples of eight patients with acromegaly and eight age and sex matched healthy subjects. DESIGN Patients with acromegaly were treated with octreotide administered by continuous subcutaneous infusion. Levels of growth hormone binding protein (GHBP) were measured in plasma samples before therapy and 3, 6 and 12 months after starting treatment. During this period, octreotide was administered in doses of 300–800 μg/day. The mean dose per patient over the study period ranged from 300 to 575 μg/24 h. The GHBP levels of patients with acromegaly were compared with those in the healthy subjects. MEASUREMENTS Bound and free 125 I‐GH in plasma were measured using FPLC gel chromatography on a Superose 12 column, after an overnight incubation period. The binding data were used for a Scatchard plot analysis. Wilcoxon's signed rank test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS We found lower GHBP levels in acromegalic patients ( P = 0.01) than in the control subjects. Octreotide treatment resulted in IGF‐I levels <300 μg/l in four patients. In these patients GHBP levels increased. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that growth hormone binding protein levels are down regulated in acromegaly, indicating an important role for GH in the regulation of this protein.