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Abdominal Fat Determines Growth Hormone-Binding Protein Levels in Healthy Nonobese Adults¹

Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes (S.F., N.V., J.O.L.J., J.S.C.) and Institute of Experimental Clinical Research (H.O.), University Hospital of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Sanne Fisker, M.D., Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Aarhus Kommunehospital, Nørrebrogade 44, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.

The circulating high affinity GH-binding protein (GHBP), which derives from the extracellular domain of the hepatic GH receptor, correlates inversely to GH levels and directly to body mass index (BMI) in healthy adults. As GH secretion and adiposity are also interrelated, we tested the hypothesis that body composition, more than GH, determines GHBP levels in healthy adults. Forty-two healthy adults [21 females and 21 males; mean age, 39.4 yr range, 27–59 yr); mean BMI, 23.9 kg/m² (range, 18.9–34.7 kg/m²)], underwent anthropometric measurements (BMI, W/H ratio, computed tomography scan, dual energy x-ray absortiometry (DEXA) scan, and bioimpedance) in addition to two GH stimulation tests (arginine and clonidine) and a 24-h GH profile. By simple linear regression, serum GHBP correlated positively to several indices of adiposity: intraabdominal fat (r = 0.537; P = 0.001), sc abdominal fat (r = 0.680; P < 0.001), BMI (r = 0.483; P = 0.001), W/H ratio (r = 0.452; P = 0.003), total body fat (DEXA scanning; r = 0.503; P = 0.002), and body fat (bioimpedance; r = 0.354; P = 0.023). Lean body mass estimated by DEXA scan was negatively associated with GHBP (r = 0.541; P < 0.001). GHBP was inversely proportional to arginine-stimulated GH release (r = -0.346; P = 0.027) and negatively associated with several measures of spontaneous GH release as estimated by deconvolution analysis (GH mass, GH production rate, and mean GH; r = -0.371; P = 0.017, r = -0.393; P = 0.011, and r = -0.343; P = 0.028, respectively)). With multiple linear regression analyses, indices of adiposity were significant determinants of GHBP levels, whereas GH status did not contribute independently to the prediction of GHBP. Neither insulin-like growth factor I nor fasting insulin levels correlated to GHBP levels.

In conclusion, GHBP levels in normal adults seem to be determined by abdominal fat mass rather than GH secretion.

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