Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 75, 183-188, Copyright © 1992 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-I stimulate hormonal function and proliferation of thymic epithelial cells

J Timsit, W Savino, B Safieh, P Chanson, MC Gagnerault, JF Bach and M Dardenne
INSERM U.25, Hopital Necker, Paris, France.

We have investigated the role of GH and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in controlling the secretion of thymulin, a hormone produced by thymic epithelial cells (TEC). Thymulin plasma concentrations (mean +/- SD) were increased in 21 patients with acromegaly compared to those in 30 controls, as assessed by bioassay (4.24 +/- 0.97 vs. 2.67 +/- 0.87; P less than 0.001) and RIA (561 +/- 241 vs. 315 +/- 113 pg/L; P less than 0.01). Good correlations were observed between plasma levels of thymulin and IGF-I (P less than 0.001). In vitro experiments demonstrated that both recombinant human GH and IGF-I significantly increased thymulin production in culture supernatants of normal human TEC and a rat TEC line. In parallel, IGF-I also significantly stimulated the proliferation of human TEC, as measured by bromodeoxyuridine incorporation. Additionally, the stimulatory effect of GH on thymulin production was abrogated by both an anti-IGF-I antibody and an anti-IGF-I receptor antibody. These results support a role for GH and IGF-I in the control of thymic hormonal function in man and suggest that the effect of GH may be mediated by local secretion of IGF-I within the thymus.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. M. Williams, P. J. Lucas, C. V. Bare, J. Wang, Y.-W. Chu, E. Tayler, V. Kapoor, and R. E. Gress CCL25 increases thymopoiesis after androgen withdrawal Blood, October 15, 2008; 112(8): 3255 - 3263. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y.-W. Chu, S. Schmitz, B. Choudhury, W. Telford, V. Kapoor, S. Garfield, D. Howe, and R. E. Gress Exogenous insulin-like growth factor 1 enhances thymopoiesis predominantly through thymic epithelial cell expansion Blood, October 1, 2008; 112(7): 2836 - 2846. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. J. Loehrer Sr, W. Wang, D. H. Johnson, and D. S. Ettinger Octreotide Alone or With Prednisone in Patients With Advanced Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma: An Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Phase II Trial J. Clin. Oncol., January 15, 2004; 22(2): 293 - 299. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. A. Welniak, R. Sun, and W. J. Murphy The role of growth hormone in T-cell development and reconstitution J. Leukoc. Biol., March 1, 2002; 71(3): 381 - 387. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. A. French, S. R. Broussard, W. A. Meier, C. Minshall, S. Arkins, J. F. Zachary, R. Dantzer, and K. W. Kelley Age-Associated Loss of Bone Marrow Hematopoietic Cells Is Reversed by GH and Accompanies Thymic Reconstitution Endocrinology, February 1, 2002; 143(2): 690 - 699. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. Savino and M. Dardenne Neuroendocrine Control of Thymus Physiology Endocr. Rev., August 1, 2000; 21(4): 412 - 443. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Beuschlein, C. J. Strasburger, V. Siegerstetter, D. Moradpour, P. Lichter, M. Bidlingmaier, H. E. Blum, and M. Reincke Acromegaly Caused by Secretion of Growth Hormone by a Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma N. Engl. J. Med., June 22, 2000; 342(25): 1871 - 1876. [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Dorshkind and N. D. Horseman The Roles of Prolactin, Growth Hormone, Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I, and Thyroid Hormones in Lymphocyte Development and Function: Insights from Genetic Models of Hormone and Hormone Receptor Deficiency Endocr. Rev., June 1, 2000; 21(3): 292 - 312. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				P. Tollet-Egnell, A. Flores-Morales, J. Odeberg, J. Lundeberg, and G. Norstedt Differential Cloning of Growth Hormone-Regulated Hepatic Transcripts in the Aged Rat Endocrinology, March 1, 2000; 141(3): 910 - 921. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Ferone, P. M. van Hagen, P. M. van Koetsveld, J. Zuijderwijk, D. M. Mooy, E. G. R. Lichtenauer-Kaligis, A. Colao, A. J. J. C. Bogers, G. Lombardi, S. W. J. Lamberts, et al. In Vitro Characterization of Somatostatin Receptors in the Human Thymus and Effects of Somatostatin and Octreotide on Cultured Thymic Epithelial Cells Endocrinology, January 1, 1999; 140(1): 373 - 380. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				T. Matsuda, H. Saito, T. Inoue, K. Fukatsu, I. Han, S. Furukawa, S. Ikeda, and T. Muto Growth Hormone Inhibits Apoptosis and Up-Regulates Reactive Oxygen Intermediates Production by Human Polymorphonuclear Neutrophils JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr, November 1, 1998; 22(6): 368 - 374. [Abstract] [PDF]

				V. de Mello-Coelho, M.-C. Gagnerault, J.-C. Souberbielle, C. J. Strasburger, W. Savino, M. Dardenne, and M.-C. Postel-Vinay Growth Hormone and Its Receptor Are Expressed in Human Thymic Cells Endocrinology, September 1, 1998; 139(9): 3837 - 3842. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Li, P. M. Bartold, C. Z. Zhang, R. W. Clarkson, W. G. Young, and M. J. Waters Growth Hormone and Insulin-Like Growth Factor I Induce Bone Morphogenetic Proteins 2 and 4: A Mediator Role in Bone and Tooth Formation? Endocrinology, September 1, 1998; 139(9): 3855 - 3862. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. S. Hinton, C. A. Peterson, E. M. Dahly, and D. M. Ney IGF-I alters lymphocyte survival and regeneration in thymus and spleen after dexamethasone treatment Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, April 1, 1998; 274(4): R912 - R920. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M.-C. Postel-Vinay, V. de Mello Coelho, M.-C. Gagnerault, and M. Dardenne Growth Hormone Stimulates the Proliferation of Activated Mouse T Lymphocytes Endocrinology, May 1, 1997; 138(5): 1816 - 1820. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Clark The Somatogenic Hormones and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1: Stimulators of Lymphopoiesis and Immune Function Endocr. Rev., April 1, 1997; 18(2): 157 - 179. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				P. S. Hinton, C. A. Peterson, H.-C. Lo, Huan Yang, D. Mccarthy, and D. M. Ney Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I Enhances Immune Response in Dexamethasone-Treated or Surgically Stressed Rats Maintained With Total Parenteral Nutrition JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr, November 1, 1995; 19(6): 444 - 452. [Abstract] [PDF]

				L Powell-Braxton, P Hollingshead, C Warburton, M Dowd, S Pitts-Meek, D Dalton, N Gillett, and T A Stewart IGF-I is required for normal embryonic growth in mice. Genes & Dev., December 1, 1993; 7(12b): 2609 - 2617. [Abstract] [PDF]