High-affinity growth hormone (GH)-binding protein (GHBP), body fat mass, and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 predict the GHBP response to GH therapy in adult GH deficiency syndrome

Metabolism. 1999 Mar;48(3):314-8. doi: 10.1016/s0026-0495(99)90078-1.

Abstract

The study objective was to investigate which baseline factors can accurately predict plasma high-affinity growth hormone (GH)-binding protein (GHBP) levels after GH replacement therapy in patients with GH deficiency (GHD). The study group consisted of 36 GHD patients (22 men and 14 women; mean age, 43.1 years; (range, 21 to 60) known to have adult-onset GHD for many years (range, 4 to 22). They were randomly divided into a GH-treated group (n = 19) and a placebo group (n = 17). Body composition (assessed by bioelectrical impendance analysis [BIA]), plasma GHBP (fast protein liquid chromatography [FPLC] size-exclusion gel chromatography), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), and IGF-binding protein-3 ([IGFBP-3] radioimmunoassays) were measured before and after 6 months. A stepwise multiple linear regression analysis with the plasma GHBP level after 6 months as the dependent variable was used to unravel significant explanatory (or predictor) variables. In contrast to placebo therapy, GH replacement therapy increased the mean plasma levels of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 to the normal range, whereas a small but statistically significant increase in plasma GHBP was observed. The combination of baseline plasma GHBP, body fat mass, and IGFBP-3 predicts posttreatment GHBP levels accurately (adjusted R2 = .97), indicating that baseline variables such as age, gender, fat-free mass, and IGF-I have no contribution. Furthermore, reliability analysis showed that the observed and predicted values for GHBP fit a strict parallel model. These findings indicate that the variations in body fat mass and IGFBP-3 among adult GHD subjects explain the reported variable response of GHBP to GH replacement therapy.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adipose Tissue / physiology*
  • Adult
  • Body Composition / physiology*
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Female
  • Growth Hormone / adverse effects
  • Growth Hormone / therapeutic use*
  • Human Growth Hormone / adverse effects
  • Human Growth Hormone / deficiency*
  • Human Growth Hormone / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / metabolism*
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / metabolism
  • Male
  • Middle Aged

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3
  • Human Growth Hormone
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I
  • Growth Hormone
  • somatotropin-binding protein