Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 64, 596-601, Copyright © 1987 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Augmentation of growth hormone secretion during puberty: evidence for a pulse amplitude-modulated phenomenon

N Mauras, RM Blizzard, K Link, ML Johnson, AD Rogol and JD Veldhuis

The augmentation of GH secretion that occurs during puberty has been attributed to changes in sex steroid levels that enhance the frequency and amplitude of GH pulses. To investigate the specific GH pulse characteristics responsible for such augmentation we analyzed the serum GH concentration profiles of 10 boys in Tanner stages I-II of sexual development (group A; aged 10 5/12-15 1/12 yr) and compared their GH pulse characteristics with those of 5 boys at Tanner stages IV-V of development (group B; aged 14 8/12-15 1/12 yr). We also reanalyzed previously reported data from 5 prepubertal boys (group C; aged 13 6/12- 15 5/12 yr) before and after 10 weeks of treatment with testosterone enanthate (100 mg/4 weeks, im). Using a pulse detection algorithm that constrains the false positive pulse detection rate to less than 5% (Cluster), we found that group B boys had a significantly higher mean serum GH pulse amplitude compared to group A boys (17.1 +/- 2.6 vs. 8.6 +/- 1.7 ng/mL; P = 0.012), but both groups had the same mean GH pulse frequency (group B, 5.4 +/- 0.5 pulses/24 h vs. group A, 5.5 +/- 0.4 pulses/24 h; P greater than 0.05). Similar changes were found in group C boys before and after testosterone therapy; there was no significant change in GH pulse frequency (6.6 +/- 0.9 before vs. 7.6 +/- 0.5 pulses/24 h after treatment; P greater than 0.05), but there was a significant increase in the GH pulse amplitude after therapy (6.8 +/- 1.6 before vs. 15.4 +/- 2.4 ng/mL after treatment; P = 0.04). When the 24-h GH concentration profiles were analyzed using a mathematically distinct method for the estimation of pulse amplitudes, namely the Fourier expansion time series, we confirmed a significant increase in GH pulse amplitude with later stages of puberty and androgen treatment. We conclude that the augmentation in GH secretion that occurs during either spontaneous puberty or exogenous testosterone therapy is an amplitude-modulated phenomenon, relatively independent of changes in pulse frequency. Such an effect may be secondary to the action of sex steroid hormones modulating either the responsivity of somatotrophs to endogenous GH-releasing hormone, the amount of GH-releasing hormone secreted, or the tonic inhibitory tone of somatostatin.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. Kvorning, M. Andersen, K. Brixen, P. Schjerling, C. Suetta, and K. Madsen Suppression of testosterone does not blunt mRNA expression of myoD, myogenin, IGF, myostatin or androgen receptor post strength training in humans J. Physiol., January 15, 2007; 578(2): 579 - 593. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. D Veldhuis, D. M Keenan, K. Mielke, J. M Miles, and C. Y Bowers Testosterone supplementation in healthy older men drives GH and IGF-I secretion without potentiating peptidyl secretagogue efficacy Eur. J. Endocrinol., October 1, 2005; 153(4): 577 - 586. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. D. Veldhuis, S. M. Anderson, A. Iranmanesh, and C. Y. Bowers Testosterone Blunts Feedback Inhibition of Growth Hormone Secretion by Experimentally Elevated Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I Concentrations J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., March 1, 2005; 90(3): 1613 - 1617. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Erickson, D. M. Keenan, L. Farhy, K. Mielke, C. Y. Bowers, and J. D. Veldhuis Determinants of Dual Secretagogue Drive of Burst-Like Growth Hormone Secretion in Premenopausal Women Studied under a Selective Estradiol Clamp J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., March 1, 2005; 90(3): 1741 - 1751. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Erickson, D. M. Keenan, K. Mielke, K. Bradford, C. Y. Bowers, J. M. Miles, and J. D. Veldhuis Dual Secretagogue Drive of Burst-Like Growth Hormone Secretion in Postmenopausal Compared with Premenopausal Women Studied under an Experimental Estradiol Clamp J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., September 1, 2004; 89(9): 4746 - 4754. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M.E. Wilson, K. Chikazawa, J. Fisher, D. Mook, and K.G. Gould Reduced Growth Hormone Secretion Prolongs Puberty But Does Not Delay the Developmental Increase in Luteinizing Hormone in the Absence of Gonadal Negative Feedback Biol Reprod, August 1, 2004; 71(2): 588 - 597. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. J. Suter The Ontogeny of Pulsatile Growth Hormone Secretion and Its Temporal Relationship to the Onset of Puberty in the Agonadal Male Rhesus Monkey (Macaca mulatta) J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., May 1, 2004; 89(5): 2275 - 2280. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. E. Wilson, J. Fisher, K. Chikazawa, R. Yoda, A. Legendre, D. Mook, and K. G. Gould Leptin Administration Increases Nocturnal Concentrations of Luteinizing Hormone and Growth Hormone in Juvenile Female Rhesus Monkeys J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., October 1, 2003; 88(10): 4874 - 4883. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. M. Anderson, N. Shah, W. S. Evans, J. T. Patrie, C. Y. Bowers, and J. D. Veldhuis Short-Term Estradiol Supplementation Augments Growth Hormone (GH) Secretory Responsiveness to Dose-Varying GH-Releasing Peptide Infusions in Healthy Postmenopausal Women J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., February 1, 2001; 86(2): 551 - 560. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				N. Mauras, K. M. Attie, E. O. Reiter, P. Saenger, and J. Baptista the Genentech Inc. Cooperative Study Grou High Dose Recombinant Human Growth Hormone (GH) Treatment of GH-Deficient Patients in Puberty Increases Near-Final Height: A Randomized, Multicenter Trial J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., October 1, 2000; 85(10): 3653 - 3660. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				N. Shah, W. S. Evans, C. Y. Bowers, and J. D. Veldhuis Oral Estradiol Administration Modulates Continuous Intravenous Growth Hormone (GH)-Releasing Peptide-2-Driven GH Secretion in Postmenopausal Women J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., August 1, 2000; 85(8): 2649 - 2659. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				J. D. Veldhuis, J. N. Roemmich, and A. D. Rogol Gender and Sexual Maturation-Dependent Contrasts in the Neuroregulation of Growth Hormone Secretion in Prepubertal and Late Adolescent Males and Females--A General Clinical Research Center-Based Study J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., July 1, 2000; 85(7): 2385 - 2394. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				O. Vidal, M. K. Lindberg, K. Hollberg, D. J. Baylink, G. Andersson, D. B. Lubahn, S. Mohan, J.-A. Gustafsson, and C. Ohlsson Estrogen receptor specificity in the regulation of skeletal growth and maturation in male mice PNAS, May 9, 2000; 97(10): 5474 - 5479. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. E. SPILIOTIS Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Analogues in the Management of Precocious Puberty Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., April 1, 2000; 900(1): 429 - 434. [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. J. Suter, C. R. Pohl, and M. E. Wilson Circulating Concentrations of Nocturnal Leptin, Growth Hormone, and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I Increase before the Onset of Puberty in Agonadal Male Monkeys: Potential Signals for the Initiation of Puberty J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., February 1, 2000; 85(2): 808 - 814. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. L. Vance and N. Mauras Growth Hormone Therapy in Adults and Children N. Engl. J. Med., October 14, 1999; 341(16): 1206 - 1216. [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Mauras, V. Hayes, S. Welch, A. Rini, K. Helgeson, M. Dokler, J. D. Veldhuis, and R. J. Urban Testosterone Deficiency in Young Men: Marked Alterations in Whole Body Protein Kinetics, Strength, and Adiposity J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 1998; 83(6): 1886 - 1892. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				S. M. Shalet, A. Toogood, A. Rahim, and B. M. D. Brennan The Diagnosis of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Children and Adults Endocr. Rev., April 1, 1998; 19(2): 203 - 223. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				C. Fall, P. Hindmarsh, E. Dennison, S. Kellingray, D. Barker, and C. Cooper Programming of Growth Hormone Secretion and Bone Mineral Density in Elderly Men: A Hypothesis J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., January 1, 1998; 83(1): 135 - 139. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				D. A. Fryburg, A. Weltman, L. A. Jahn, J. Y. Weltman, E. Samojlik, R. L. Hintz, and J. D. Veldhuis Short-Term Modulation of the Androgen Milieu Alters Pulsatile, But Not Exercise- or Growth Hormone (GH)-Releasing Hormone-Stimulated GH Secretion in Healthy Men: Impact of Gonadal Steroid and GH Secretory Changes on Metabolic Outcomes J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., November 1, 1997; 82(11): 3710 - 3719. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Van Cauter, K. S. Polonsky, and A. J. Scheen Roles of Circadian Rhythmicity and Sleep in Human Glucose Regulation Endocr. Rev., October 1, 1997; 18(5): 716 - 738. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				A. P. Cemeroglu, A. L. Barkan, G. B. Kletter, I. Z. Beitins, and C. M. Foster Changes in Serum Immunoreactive and Bioactive Growth Hormone Concentrations in Boys with Advancing Puberty and in Response to a 20-Hour Estradiol Infusion J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., July 1, 1997; 82(7): 2166 - 2171. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. C. Hindmarsh, C. H. D. Fall, P. J. Pringle, C. Osmond, and C. G. D. Brook Peak and Trough Growth Hormone Concentrations Have Different Associations with the Insulin-Like Growth Factor Axis, Body Composition, and Metabolic Parameters J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., July 1, 1997; 82(7): 2172 - 2176. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. I. Sharara and L. C. Giudice Role of Gorwth Hormone in Ovarian Physiology and Onest of Puberty Reproductive Sciences, January 1, 1997; 4(1): 2 - 7. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M Lampl, J. Veldhuis, and M. Johnson Saltation and stasis: a model of human growth Science, October 30, 1992; 258(5083): 801 - 803. [Abstract] [PDF]