Postreceptor signaling mechanisms for Growth Hormone

Recent data have shed significant new light on the mechanisms involved in the transmission of a biologic signal by GH. Following ligand-induced dimerization of the GH receptor, multiple cascades are involved in GH signaling. These include activation of nonreceptor tyrosine kinases, in particular JAK2, which is a mechanism shared by the newly described cytokine receptor superfamily. Furthermore, several classic pathways (for example, guanine-nucleotide-binding proteins and protein kinase C), shared by numerous hormones, growth factors, and neurotransmitters, are also involved in many of the actions of GH. The interrelationships between the various signaling pathways for GH have not yet been fully defined. This review briefly summarizes the current state of knowledge with respect to the processes involved in the effects of GH in target cells.