The growth hormone-like factor produced by the tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides specifically binds receptors on...

Plerocercoid larvae of the tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides produce a factor with activities similar to those of growth hormone (GH). Highly selective receptors for GH have been described on cultured human lymphocytes (IM-9 cells) and these cells have been used as a model of binding essentially restricted to human GH (hGH). We compared the displacement of [125I]hGH by hGH and partially purified plerocercoid growth factor (PGF) in assays using rabbit hepatic membranes and IM-9 cells. PGF displaced [125I]hGH from both rabbit hepatic membranes and IM-9 cells in a dose-dependent manner (r greater than 0.98). These results show that PGF specifically binds to hGH receptors on human IM-9 cells and suggest the possibility that PGF will have somatotropic activity in humans.