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A possible relationship between serum transferrin, growth hormone secretion and height velocity in children
Insights
Transferrin (Tf) plays a role in children's growth. Studies show Tf levels correlate with growth hormone (GH) secretion and height velocity, suggesting a feedback mechanism in growth regulation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Growth Regulation Biology
Background:
- In vitro studies indicate transferrin (Tf) possesses growth-promoting activity.
- Tf is associated with insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding proteins, suggesting a role in somatomedin (SM) activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the in vivo relationships between Tf, SM activity, growth hormone (GH) secretion, and height velocity in children.
- To explore the potential feedback mechanism between Tf and GH secretion.
Main Methods:
- Administered intravenous ornithine hydrochloride to control children to observe GH, SM, and Tf responses.
- Analyzed Tf levels, SM activity, and GH secretion in obese children and children with hypopituitarism.
- Correlated height velocity with basal Tf levels in children with hypopituitarism.
Main Results:
- Ornithine infusion induced GH rise, accompanied by SM fall and preceded by Tf fall in controls.
- Obese children showed higher Tf and lower GH peaks compared to controls.
- Children with hypopituitarism had significantly lower Tf levels; hGH injection did not alter Tf.
- Height velocity strongly correlated with basal Tf levels in children with hypopituitarism.
Conclusions:
- Transferrin is implicated in the regulation of childhood growth.
- GH secretion appears to be linked to Tf levels via a feedback mechanism.
- Tf may serve as a biomarker for growth disturbances.
Abstract:
Since transferrin (Tf) in vitro has a growth-promoting activity and is associated with NSILA properties, the aim of this work was to study in vivo the relationships between Tf, somatomedin activity (SM), growth hormone (GH) secretion, and height velocity in children. An iv infusion of ornithine hydrochloride was given to 23 controls; the induced rise of GH was accompanied by a simultaneous fall of SM (r = -0.711, P less than 0.001) and was preceded by a fall of Tf (r = -0.610, P less than 0.01). In 17 obese children SM was within the normal range, when Tf levels were higher and arginine-induced GH peaks lower than in the controls, and a negative correlation was found between Tf basal levels and GH peaks (r = -0.608, P less than 0.01). In 9 children with confirmed hypopituitarism the Tf levels were significantly lower than in the controls. In 14 children with confirmed or suspected hypopituitarism a single im injection of hGH (6 mg) failed to induce Tf variations over 24 h. In 39 of these children the height velocity was significantly correlated with Tf basal levels (r = 0.701, P less than 0.001). These data suggest that transferrin is involved in growth regulation, and that GH secretion is related to transferrin levels by a feed-back mechanism.