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Updated: Aug 15, 2026
Comparative Analysis of Human Growth Hormone in Serum Using SPRi, Nano-SPRi and ELISA Assays
Published on: January 7, 2016
Negative correlation between peripheral plasma somatostatin levels and GH responses to GH-RH stimulation tests in
Insights
Growth hormone releasing hormone (GH-RH) stimulation tests in children with short stature revealed varied growth hormone (GH) peaks. Basal plasma somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SLI) levels did not significantly differ across groups.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Growth Hormone Physiology
- Hormone Stimulation Testing
Background:
- Short stature in children can stem from various causes, including constitutional short stature (CSS), idiopathic growth hormone deficiency (IGHD), and idiopathic delayed puberty (IDP).
- Growth hormone (GH) secretion is a complex process influenced by various factors, including releasing hormones and inhibitory peptides like somatostatin.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the growth hormone (GH) response to growth hormone-releasing hormone (GH-RH) stimulation in prepubertal and pubertal children with short stature.
- To measure basal plasma somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SLI) levels in these children to explore potential correlations with GH response.
Main Methods:
- A GH-RH stimulation test was administered to 46 children (aged 5-17 years) with short stature.
- Subjects were categorized into prepubertal and pubertal groups, with subgroups for CSS, IGHD, and IDP.
- Plasma SLI levels were measured using radioimmunoassay (RIA) after extraction and concentration.
Main Results:
- GH peaks following GH-RH stimulation varied among the groups, with prepubertal CSS showing the highest mean peak (25.3 ± 9.1 µg/l).
- Pubertal CSS and IDP groups exhibited similar GH peaks (17.6 ± 8.4 µg/l and 15.6 ± 3.8 µg/l, respectively).
- No significant differences were observed in basal plasma SLI levels across the four study groups.
Conclusions:
- GH-RH stimulation elicits variable GH responses in children with short stature, influenced by pubertal status and underlying condition.
- Basal SLI levels do not appear to be a differentiating factor in these short stature subgroups.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the role of somatostatin in the pathophysiology of short stature.
Abstract:
On forty-six fasting and resting children, aged 5-17 years, with short stature (below -2 SD) a growth hormone releasing hormone (GH-RH) stimulation test (2 micrograms/kg iv bolus, Sanofi) was performed. Twenty-two children were prepubertal, of which, 13 had a constitutional short stature (CSS), nine an idiopathic growth hormone deficiency (IGHD). Twenty-four subjects were pubertal, at the stage II or III of Tanner. Among them, six had a constitutional short stature (CSS) and 18 an idiopathic delayed puberty (IDP). Blood samples were taken for determination of plasma somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SLI) in chilled test tubes containing EDTA + aprotinin. Plasma SLI levels were measured after extraction and concentration on C18 Sep Pack columns by radioimmunoassay using an antibody against 1-14 somatostatin. The sensitivity of this assay is around 3 pg/ml. After GH-RH stimulation the peak of GH (mean +/- SEM) was in prepubertal subjects: 25.3 +/- 9.1 micrograms/l in CSS, and 18.6 +/- 10.3 micrograms/l in IGHD. In pubertal subjects GH peaks were 17.6 +/- 8.4 micrograms/l in CSS and 15.6 +/- 3.8 micrograms/l in children with IDP. No significant differences was found between basal plasma SLI levels in the four groups of subjects, being respectively (mean +/- SEM) 11.9 +/- 1.8 pg/ml in prepubertal subjects with CSS, 9.6 +/- 2.6 pg/ml in IGHD, 7.6 +/- 1.7 pg/ml in pubertal children with CSS and 6.6 +/- 1.5 pg/ml in children with IDP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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