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Effects of Growth Hormone and Estrogen on T Lymphocytes in Older Women
Author(s) -
Bonello Robert S.,
Marcus Robert,
Bloch Daniel,
Strober Samuel
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1996.tb02934.x
Subject(s) - medicine , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , estrogen , endocrinology , hormone , prospective cohort study , in vitro , biology , biochemistry
OBJECTIVE To assess the effect on peripheral blood T lymphocytes of recombinant human growth hormone administered to healthy older women. DESIGN Prospective, open study. SETTING Veterans Administration clinical research unit and community surrounding Palo Alto, California. PARTICIPANTS Thirty‐three women were recruited in two age groups: 20 to 40 years (n = 13) and 70 years or older (n = 24). Subjects were healthy, community‐dwelling volunteers. INTERVENTIONS Recombinant human growth hormone at a dose of 0.025 mg/kg body weight/day was administered to the older subjects by daily subcutaneous injection over a 6‐month study period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Mean percentage and number of peripheral blood CD45RA+ (“naive”) T cells, mean counts per minute (CPM) of [ 3 H]‐thymidine incorporation following stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with phytohemaglutinin (T cell proliferation). RESULTS Before therapy, mean percentage and number of peripheral blood CD45RA+ T cells and T cell proliferative responses were significantly reduced in older compared with younger women. The fraction of older women with CD45RA+ T cell levels or T cell proliferative responses in the young range was significantly decreased in those who were receiving estrogen (1/10) compared with those who were not (9/14). After treatment with growth hormone, there were no significant changes in the mean CD45RA+ T cell levels or proliferative responses of the older women. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that T cell changes associated with the age‐related decline in secretion of growth hormone cannot be reversed by growth hormone therapy during the eighth decade.