Possible role of human growth hormone in penile erection

Treatment with recombinant human growth hormone in adult patients with growth hormone deficiency increases nitric oxide and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). We examined the functional in vitro effects of recombinant human growth hormone on tissue tension and cyclic nucleotide levels of human corpus cavernosum and detected changes in growth hormone in the cavernous and peripheral blood during different phases of penile erection.

Relaxant responses of human corpus cavernosum were investigated using the organ bath technique. Tissue levels of cGMP were determined by a specific radioimmunoassay after dose dependent exposition of isolated human corpus cavernosum strips to recombinant human growth hormone. In 35 healthy potent volunteers blood samples were obtained simultaneously from the corpus cavernosum and cubital vein during different functional conditions of the penis, including flaccidity, tumescence, rigidity and detumescence. Penile erection was induced by audiovisual and tactile stimulation. Serum growth hormone was determined by an immunoradiometric assay.

Recombinant human growth hormone elicited dose dependent relaxation of human corpus cavernosum strips in vitro. The relaxing potency of recombinant human growth hormone was paralleled by its ability to elevate intracellular levels of cGMP. In vivo the peripheral growth hormone serum profile of the respective penile conditions did not significantly differ from those of cavernous serum. The main increase in growth hormone to greater than 90% was determined during developing penile tumescence, followed by a transient decrease afterward.

These results suggest that penile erection may probably be induced by growth hormone through its cGMP stimulating activity on human corpus cavernosum smooth muscle.