Mocchegiani E, Sartorio A, Santarelli L, Ferrero S, Fabris N
Dipartimento Ricerche Gerontologiche e Geriatriche, Istituto Nazionale Riposo e Cura per Anziani (I.N.R.C.A.), Ancona, Italy.
J Endocrinol Invest. 1996 Oct;19(9):630-7. doi: 10.1007/BF03349030.
Plasma thymulin (active and total) levels; IGF-I and zinc concentrations were evaluated in 9 children and in 8 adults with GH-deficiency (GHD) before and after 3-6 months of recombinant-GH treatment. Before therapy, GH deficient children had lower plasma active thymulin levels (1.0 +/- 0.3 log-2), not due to a peripheral defect in zinc saturation since plasma zinc levels were within the normal range, and total thymulin levels (1.3 +/- 0.3 log-2) than in the age-matched control group. GH therapy significantly increased active thymulin (3rd month: 3.0 +/- 0.2 log-2, 6th month: 4.0 +/- 0.2 log-2), total thymulin (3rd month: 3.3 +/- 0.3 log-2, 6th month: 4.3 +/- 0.2 log-2) and IGF-I levels (3rd month: 283.3 +/- 7.2 micrograms/L, 6th month: 411.2 +/- 44.2 micrograms/L, vs basal: 144.3 +/- 11.5 micrograms/L); at the 6th month of therapy, thymulin levels (active and total) were comparable to those found in controls. A positive correlation existed between zinc and plasma IGF-I levels (r = 0.66, p < 0.05). In adults with GHD, plasma active (1.9 +/- 0.3 log-2) and total thymulin levels (3.9 +/- 0.1 log-2), significantly lower (p < 0.01 and 0.05, respectively) than in controls before treatment, increased after GH therapy (active thymulin, 3rd month: 3.0 +/- 0.2 log-2, 6th month: 4.4 +/- 0.3 log-2; total thymulin, 3rd month: 3.9 +/- 0.3 log-2, 6th month: 4.7 +/- 0.2 log-2), being at 6th month of therapy no more different from the values recorded in the age-matched control group. In conclusion, children and adults with GHD have a marked impairment of the thymic endocrine activity, which can be restored by six months of GH treatment. The effects of GH on thymic functions may be mediated by IGF-I, through the modulation of zinc turnover, suggesting the possible existence of an interplay among GH, zinc, IGF-I and thymulin both in children and adults with GHD.
对9名儿童和8名生长激素缺乏症（GHD）成人在重组生长激素治疗3 - 6个月前后的血浆胸腺生成素（活性和总含量）水平、胰岛素样生长因子-I（IGF-I）和锌浓度进行了评估。治疗前，生长激素缺乏的儿童血浆活性胸腺生成素水平较低（1.0±0.3 log-2），这并非由于锌饱和度的外周缺陷，因为血浆锌水平在正常范围内，且其总胸腺生成素水平（1.3±0.3 log-2）也低于年龄匹配的对照组。生长激素治疗显著提高了活性胸腺生成素（第3个月：3.0±0.2 log-2，第6个月：4.0±0.2 log-2）、总胸腺生成素（第3个月：3.3±0.3 log-2，第6个月：4.3±0.2 log-2）和IGF-I水平（第3个月：283.3±7.2微克/升，第6个月：411.2±44.2微克/升，基础值为：144.3±11.5微克/升）；治疗第6个月时，胸腺生成素水平（活性和总含量）与对照组相当。锌与血浆IGF-I水平之间存在正相关（r = 0.66，p < 0.05）。在患有GHD的成人中，血浆活性（1.9±0.3 log-2）和总胸腺生成素水平（3.9±0.1 log-2）在治疗前显著低于对照组（分别为p < 0.01和0.05），生长激素治疗后升高（活性胸腺生成素，第3个月：3.0±0.2 log-2，第6个月：4.4±0.3 log-2；总胸腺生成素，第3个月：3.9±0.3 log-2，第6个月：4.7±0.2 log-2），治疗第6个月时与年龄匹配的对照组记录值无差异。总之，患有GHD的儿童和成人胸腺内分泌活性有明显损害，生长激素治疗6个月可使其恢复。生长激素对胸腺功能的影响可能通过IGF-I介导，通过调节锌代谢，提示在患有GHD的儿童和成人中生长激素、锌、IGF-I和胸腺生成素之间可能存在相互作用。
