Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 77, 452-457, Copyright © 1993 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

A longitudinal assessment of hormonal and physical alterations during normal puberty in boys. I. Serum growth hormone-binding protein

PM Martha Jr, AD Rogol, LM Carlsson, N Gesundheit and RM Blizzard
Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville 22908.

Previous studies have provided compelling evidence that GH secretion increases transiently during midpuberty in normally growing children. Although it is likely that the increase in GH production serves a primary role in generating the pubertal growth spurt, such a conclusion necessarily assumes that other essential "down-stream" components of the GH axis responsible for mediating the effects of GH remain unchanged. To investigate this concept, we assessed longitudinally another important component of the endogenous GH axis, the serum GH- binding protein (GHBP)/receptor system, in a cohort of 11 normal boys as they matured through normal puberty. At 4-month intervals over 4.0- 5.1 yr, 24-h serum GH concentration profiles and serum GHBP activity were evaluated. Serum GHBP levels varied over a more than 12-fold range (40-504 pmol/L) among all subjects. However, the values for individual subjects consistently varied within more narrow limits. The coefficient of variation for values from all subjects was 51% compared to the mean intrasubject coefficient of variation of only 30% (P < 0.05). Although the highest GHBP level (all subjects) was 12.6-fold greater than the lowest, the mean intrasubject range was only 3.1 +/- 0.5-fold (P < 0.05). The overall mean serum GHBP level correlated directly with the overall mean body mass index (r = 0.69; P = 0.018), but correlated inversely with the mean 24-h GH concentration (r = -0.61; P < 0.05). There was no significant increase in the GHBP level during puberty. However, because mean 24-h GH concentrations did increase during midpuberty, the data suggest that an increase in the relative amounts of free vs. bound GH develops during the period of the pubertal growth spurt. These data indicate that serum GHBP levels are regulated in individual children within much more narrow limits than those present in the larger population and do not undergo the dramatic changes during puberty typical of GH secretion and linear growth velocity. As a consequence, alterations may develop in the relative amounts of free vs. bound GH present in serum during the midpubertal years compared to those present during either the prepubertal or postpubertal periods. The majority of the known age-related increase in serum GHBP levels probably occurs before the period of active pubertal development. These findings strengthen further the concept that the midpubertal changes in GH secretion serve a primary role in generating the growth spurt.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

This article has been cited by other articles:

				B. Tonshoff, M. J. Cronin, M. Reichert, D. Haffner, A.-M. Wingen, W. F. Blum, and O. Mehls Reduced Concentration of Serum Growth Hormone (GH)-Binding Protein in Children with Chronic Renal Failure: Correlation with GH Insensitivity J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., April 1, 1997; 82(4): 1007 - 1013. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Boguszewski, R. Bjarnason, S. Rosberg, L. M. S. Carlsson, and K. Albertsson-Wikland Growth Hormone (GH)-Binding Protein in Prepubertal Short Children Born Small for Gestational Age: Effects of Growth Hormone Treatment J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., April 1, 1997; 82(4): 1014 - 1019. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Fisker, N. Vahl, J. O. L. Jorgensen, J. S. Christiansen, and H. Orskov Abdominal Fat Determines Growth Hormone-Binding Protein Levels in Healthy Nonobese Adults J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., January 1, 1997; 82(1): 123 - 128. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]