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Serum cytokine levels in GH-deficient children during substitutive GH therapy
Sara Pagani1, Cristina Meazza, Paola Travaglino
1Dipartimento di Scienze Pediatriche, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Piazzale C Golgi 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
Insights
Human growth hormone (hGH) treatment in children with GH deficiency (GHD) significantly impacts pro-inflammatory cytokines. hGH increases interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels, suggesting a direct effect on immune function.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Immunology
- Growth Hormone Therapy
Background:
- Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) affects children's growth and development.
- The immune system's response to GHD and its treatment is not fully understood.
- Cytokines play a crucial role in immune regulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of human growth hormone (hGH) on serum levels of specific cytokines in GHD children.
- To analyze changes in interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-6, IL-12, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) during hGH therapy.
Main Methods:
- Study included 13 prepubertal GHD children and 13 healthy controls.
- Cytokine levels were measured at baseline, 6 and 24 hours after the first hGH injection, and after 3 months of treatment.
- Serum cytokine concentrations were determined using commercially available ELISAs.
Main Results:
- No significant baseline differences in IL-4, IL-6, IL-12, and TNF-alpha between GHD children and controls.
- hGH treatment led to significant changes in TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels over time.
- A pronounced increase in IL-6 and TNF-alpha was observed 6 hours after the initial hGH administration.
Conclusions:
- hGH treatment affects the in vivo release of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-alpha in GHD children.
- These findings suggest a direct influence of growth hormone on immune function.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise mechanisms of GH-immune interactions.
Objective:
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of exogenously administered human GH (hGH) on serum levels of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, IL-12 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in GH-deficient (GHD) children.
Design And Methods:
We evaluated 13 short prepubertal GHD children, aged between 2 and 13 years, and 13 age-matched healthy subjects as controls. Circulating cytokine values were evaluated in basal conditions in all children, and 6 and 24 h following the 1st hGH injection (0.23 mg/kg per week), and then after 3 months of hGH treatment in GHD patients. Serum levels of IL-4, IL-6, IL-12 and TNF-alpha were measured by commercially available ELISAs.
Results:
No significant differences were found between controls and GHD children in basal values of serum IL-4, IL-6, IL-12 and TNF-alpha (P > 0.05 by Mann-Whitney U test). Analysis of cytokine levels during hGH treatment showed significant changes over time in TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels (P = 0.0014 and P = 0.00 024 respectively), with the more pronounced effect observed at 6 h following the first administration of hGH (i.e. increase in IL-6 (Wilcoxon matched pairs test, P = 0.0015) and TNF-alpha levels (P = 0.0015)). No significant changes over time were observed in IL-4 and IL-12 serum levels.
Conclusions:
In vivo release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-alpha can be affected by hGH treatment in GHD children, suggesting a direct effect of GH on the immune function.