Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 68, 469-476, Copyright © 1989 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Variability in the quantitation of circulating growth hormone using commercial immunoassays

AC Celniker, AB Chen, RM Wert Jr and BM Sherman
Department of Medicinal and Analytical Chemistry, Genetech, Inc., South San Francisco, California 94080.

The quantitation of human GH in a serum sample is not consistent among various commercially available immunoassays. We measured serum GH concentrations with four RIAs [Cambridge, Kallestad, National Hormone and Pituitary Program, and Radioassay Systems Laboratories (RSL)] and two immunoradiometric assays (IRMAs; Hybritech and Nichols). Serum GH concentrations measured by the RIAs were between 1.9 and 2.8 times higher than those determined by the Hybritech IRMA, whereas the concentrations measured by the Nichols IRMA were approximately 3.0 times higher than the Hybritech values. We evaluated the effects of differences in standards, assay diluents, and antibody specificity on GH measurement in the various assays. When GH standards from each of the assays were measured in the Hybritech IRMA, only the RSL standard was less immunoreactive than the other assay standards. Different assay diluents also resulted in varying GH values. In the RIAs, GH diluted in serum was more immunoreactive than GH diluted in phosphate-buffered saline-0.5% BSA. This enhanced immunoreactivity appeared to be due to a nonspecific effect generated by serum. The Nichols and Hybritech IRMAs provide standards diluted in horse serum. In the Nichols assay, GH diluted in human serum was more immunoreactive than GH diluted in horse serum, whereas the immunoreactivity of GH diluted in either serum was equal in the Hybritech IRMA. These IRMAs also differ in that the Nichols assay detected the 20K variant of GH, whereas the Hybritech assay did not. Considering these discrepancies, comparison of data obtained using different assays should be made carefully.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. Pazaitou-Panayiotou, T. Kelesidis, I. Kelesidis, A. Kaprara, J. Blakeman, I. Vainas, A. Mpousoulegas, C. J Williams, and C. Mantzoros Growth hormone-binding protein is directly and IGFBP-3 is inversely associated with risk of female breast cancer Eur. J. Endocrinol., February 1, 2007; 156(2): 187 - 194. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Markkanen, T. Pekkarinen, M. J. Valimaki, H. Alfthan, R. Kauppinen-Makelin, T. Sane, and U.-H. Stenman Effect of Sex and Assay Method on Serum Concentrations of Growth Hormone in Patients with Acromegaly and in Healthy Controls Clin. Chem., March 1, 2006; 52(3): 468 - 473. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R Ayling More guidance on growth hormone deficiency J. Clin. Pathol., February 1, 2004; 57(2): 123 - 125. [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. N. Clayton Cardiovascular Function in Acromegaly Endocr. Rev., June 1, 2003; 24(3): 272 - 277. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. C. Hymer, W. J. Kraemer, B. C. Nindl, J. O. Marx, D. E. Benson, J. R. Welsch, S. A. Mazzetti, J. S. Volek, and D. R. Deaver Characteristics of circulating growth hormone in women after acute heavy resistance exercise Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, October 1, 2001; 281(4): E878 - E887. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. C. Nindl, W. C. Hymer, D. R. Deaver, and W. J. Kraemer Growth hormone pulsatility profile characteristics following acute heavy resistance exercise J Appl Physiol, July 1, 2001; 91(1): 163 - 172. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. J. Osterziel, W. F. Blum, O. Strohm, and R. Dietz The Severity of Chronic Heart Failure due to Coronary Artery Disease Predicts the Endocrine Effects of Short- Term Growth Hormone Administration J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., April 1, 2000; 85(4): 1533 - 1539. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				K. J. Osterziel, S. M Bode-Boger, O. Strohm, A. E Ellmer, N. Bit-Avragim, D. Hanlein, M. B Ranke, R. Dietz, and R. H Boger Role of nitric oxide in the vasodilator effect of recombinant human growth hormone in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy Cardiovasc Res, January 14, 2000; 45(2): 447 - 453. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Ryoke, Y. Gu, L. Mao, M. Hongo, R. G. Clark, K. L. Peterson, and J. Ross Jr Progressive Cardiac Dysfunction and Fibrosis in the Cardiomyopathic Hamster and Effects of Growth Hormone and Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibition Circulation, October 19, 1999; 100(16): 1734 - 1743. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				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. Shah, J. Aloi, W. S. Evans, and J. D. Veldhuis Time Mode of Growth Hormone (GH) Entry into the Bloodstream and Steady-State Plasma GH Concentrations, Rather Than Sex, Estradiol, or Menstrual Cycle Stage, Primarily Determine the GH Elimination Rate in Healthy Young Women and Men J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., August 1, 1999; 84(8): 2862 - 2869. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				R. L. Hintz, K. M. Attie, J. Baptista, A. Roche, and The Genentech Collaborative Group Effect of Growth Hormone Treatment on Adult Height of Children with Idiopathic Short Stature N. Engl. J. Med., February 18, 1999; 340(7): 502 - 507. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. U. Freda, K. D. Post, J. S. Powell, and S. L. Wardlaw Evaluation of Disease Status with Sensitive Measures of Growth Hormone Secretion in 60 Postoperative Patients with Acromegaly J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., November 1, 1998; 83(11): 3808 - 3816. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				N. Tanaka, T. Ryoke, M. Hongo, L. Mao, H. A. Rockman, R. G. Clark, and J. Ross Jr. Effects of growth hormone and IGF-I on cardiac hypertrophy and gene expression in mice Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, August 1, 1998; 275(2): H393 - H399. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Jansson, C. Boguszewski, S. Rosberg, L. Carlsson, and K. Albertsson-Wikland Growth hormone (GH) assays: influence of standard preparations, GH isoforms, assay characteristics, and GH-binding protein Clin. Chem., June 1, 1997; 43(6): 950 - 956. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. L. Boguszewski, G. Johannsson, B.-A. Bengtsson, A. Johansson, B. Carlsson, and L. M. S. Carlsson Circulating Non-22-Kilodalton Growth Hormone Isoforms in Acromegalic Men before and after Transsphenoidal Surgery J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., May 1, 1997; 82(5): 1516 - 1521. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Yang, S. Bunting, N. Gillett, R. Clark, and H. Jin Growth Hormone Improves Cardiac Performance in Experimental Heart Failure Circulation, July 15, 1995; 92(2): 262 - 267. [Abstract] [Full Text]