Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 16, 2026

Comparative Analysis of Human Growth Hormone in Serum Using SPRi, Nano-SPRi and ELISA Assays
11:17

Comparative Analysis of Human Growth Hormone in Serum Using SPRi, Nano-SPRi and ELISA Assays

Published on: January 7, 2016

Growth hormone improves protein catabolism and growth in prepubertal children with HIV infection

Dana S Hardin1, Julie Rice, Marilyn E Doyle

  • 1University of Texas-South-western Medical School, Dallas, TX, USA. dana.hardin@utsouth-western.edu

Clinical Endocrinology
|August 25, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Human growth hormone (GH) therapy significantly improved linear growth and lean tissue mass in children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). GH also reduced protein catabolism without increasing viral load.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Endocrinology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) often experience poor linear growth and weight loss.
  • Loss of lean tissue mass (LTM) and accelerated protein catabolism are common in HIV-infected individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effect of human recombinant growth hormone (GH) on linear height in HIV-infected children.
  • To determine if GH therapy can reverse protein catabolism in this population.

Main Methods:

  • Six HIV-infected children were studied over 6 months.
  • Protein turnover was assessed using 1-[(13)C] leucine stable isotope.
  • Body composition (LTM) was measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).

Main Results:

  • Growth velocity increased from 3.9 cm/year to 7.9 cm/year after 6 months of GH therapy.
  • Protein catabolism significantly decreased, and LTM significantly improved in all subjects.
  • No significant increase in viral burden was observed during GH treatment.

Conclusions:

  • GH therapy is effective in improving height and weight in HIV-infected children.
  • GH reduces protein catabolism without adversely affecting viral burden.
  • Recombinant GH is a potential therapeutic option for growth failure in pediatric HIV.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Pairwise Growth Competition Assay for Determining the Replication Fitness of Human Immunodeficiency Viruses11:19

Pairwise Growth Competition Assay for Determining the Replication Fitness of Human Immunodeficiency Viruses

Published on: May 4, 2015

Related Concept Videos

Nature and Nurture01:10

Nature and Nurture

Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience, such as differences...
Overview of Protein Metabolism01:21

Overview of Protein Metabolism

Proteins are broken down into amino acids during digestion. Unlike fats and carbohydrates, which are stored for later use, proteins are not. Instead, amino acids are either used to produce ATP through oxidation or contribute to the creation of new proteins for the growth and repair of the body. Any surplus amino acids from the diet are converted into glucose or triglycerides rather than excreted.
Amino acids play various roles in the body once they are absorbed into cells. They are restructured...
Cellular Adaptation II: Hypertrophy01:26

Cellular Adaptation II: Hypertrophy

Hypertrophy is the increase in the size of individual cells, resulting in the enlargement of a tissue or organ. Unlike hyperplasia, which involves an increase in cell number, hypertrophy is characterized by an increase in cell volume. This process often occurs in response to higher functional demand or hormonal stimulation, leading to the production of more structural proteins and organelles, thereby enhancing the cells' work capacity.There are two primary types of hypertrophy: physiological...
Inhibitors of Virion Maturation and Assembly01:19

Inhibitors of Virion Maturation and Assembly

As part of their replication cycle, certain viruses synthesize long precursor proteins called polyproteins within infected host cells. In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), two major polyproteins are produced: Gag and Gag-Pol. The Gag polyprotein supplies the structural components of the virus, while Gag-Pol includes essential viral enzymes such as reverse transcriptase, integrase, and protease. After synthesis, these polyproteins move to the host cell membrane, where they assemble into an...
Hormones Regulating Blood Glucose01:16

Hormones Regulating Blood Glucose

Insulin is released by beta cells of the pancreas when blood glucose levels are high. It facilitates glucose absorption and utilization in insulin-dependent cells with insulin receptors on their plasma membranes. Insulin promotes glucose uptake by increasing the number of glucose transport proteins in the cell membrane, allowing glucose to enter the cell. As a result, glucose utilization and ATP production are enhanced.
In addition to accelerating glucose uptake and utilization, insulin has...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...