In vitro effect of human growth hormone on lymphocyte transformation and lymphocyte growth factors secretion.

Cultures of human blood peripheral lymphocytes were performed in the presence or absence of human growth hormone, and also of phytohemagglutinin and normal human serum 10%. After incubation for 48 h, the supernatants were tested for their ability to promote the uptake of [3H]thymidine into lectin-activated lymphocytes. Supernatants from lymphocyte-free control samples, treated in the same manner, were assayed under the same experimental conditions. Variance analysis of the different dose-response relationships was performed. The results of these in vitro experiments confirm that physiological levels of GH inhibit the lectin-induced lymphoproliferation and that lymphocytes secrete an 'activity' able to stimulate the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into lectin activated lymphocytes. Furthermore we show that: 1) Secretion of this lymphocyte-stimulating activity is increased by physiological levels of GH; 2) This lymphocytic secretion is not radioimmunoassayable IGF-I; 3) Using fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC), this activity appears in fractions with various molecular weights.