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Interactions between growth hormone and dexamethasone in skeletal growth and bone structure of the young mouse

A Altman1, Z Hochberg, M Silbermann

  • 1Department of Morphological Sciences, Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa.

Calcified Tissue International
|October 1, 1992
PubMed

Insights

Growth hormone (GH) prevents bone damage caused by the steroid dexamethasone in young mice. GH treatment protected against reduced bone growth and structural integrity, preserving skeletal development.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Orthopedics
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Glucocorticoids, like dexamethasone, are known to negatively impact skeletal growth and bone structure.
  • Growth hormone (GH) plays a crucial role in longitudinal bone growth and skeletal development.
  • Understanding the interplay between GH and glucocorticoids is essential for managing conditions affecting bone health in growing individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the protective effects of growth hormone (GH) against dexamethasone-induced damage in skeletal growth sites.
  • To determine if GH can prevent the detrimental effects of glucocorticoids on bone morphometry and biochemistry in young mice.

Main Methods:

  • Female ICR mice (3-7 weeks old) were administered dexamethasone (Dex) with or without rat GH (rGH) or bovine GH (bGH) for 4 weeks.
  • Tibiae, humerus, and vertebrae were analyzed using morphometric and biochemical assessments.
  • Key parameters measured included body weight, bone length, protein content, growth plate width, bone volume, and enzyme activities.

Main Results:

  • Dexamethasone significantly compromised growth (body weight, tibial length, humerus protein) and bone structure (growth plate width, trabecular bone volume, cortical bone width, mineral content).
  • Dexamethasone also decreased alkaline and acid phosphatase activity, indicating impaired bone metabolism.
  • Co-administration of rGH or bGH effectively prevented these dexamethasone-induced negative effects on skeletal growth and bone parameters.

Conclusions:

  • Growth hormone (GH) can mitigate or prevent the pathological changes in growing bones caused by high-dose glucocorticoid treatment in mice.
  • These findings highlight the potential therapeutic role of GH in counteracting glucocorticoid-induced bone damage during development.
  • GH's protective action on skeletal sites emphasizes its importance in maintaining bone health under conditions of steroid exposure.

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