Plasma pattern of growth hormone regulates sexual differentiation of phosphatidylcholine in rat plasma.

The effects of continuous and intermittent administration of human growth hormone (hGH) in the regulation of plasma phosphatidylcholine fatty acid composition was studied in adult hypophysectomized male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. Human GH was given for 7 days, either continuously by means of Alzet osmotic minipumps implanted s.c. or intermittently by means of s.c. injections at 12-h intervals. The 'masculinizing' effect of hypophysectomy on the fatty acid composition of plasma phosphatidylcholine in female rats, i.e. an increase in the proportions of palmitic and linoleic acids and a decrease in the proportions of stearic and arachidonic acids, was to a large extent reversed by continuous administration of hGH, while intermittent administration had no consistent effect. This effect of continuous hGH administration similar effect of continuous administration of hGH was also observed in hypophysectomized male rats. Prolactin had no effect on the fatty acid composition of phosphatidylcholine. Replacement therapy with thyroid hormones and glucocorticoids had a small effect on the proportions of palmitic and stearic acids in plasma phosphatidylcholine. It is concluded that the more continuous secretory pattern of GH in female rats is involved in the sexual differentiation of the fatty acid composition of plasma phosphatidylcholine.