Ho K K, O'Sullivan A J, Hoffman D M
Garvan Institute of Medical Research St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Endocr J. 1996 Oct;43 Suppl:S57-63. doi: 10.1507/endocrj.43.suppl_s57.
GH continues to be produced after the cessation of childhood growth and is the most abundant pituitary hormone in the adult pituitary. There is strong evidence that GH continues to exert significant biological effects on body metabolism in adult humans. The actions of GH may be direct or indirectly mediated by IGF-1. The direct actions of GH impart major effects on glucose, lipid and sodium homeostasis. GH administration causes hyperinsulinaemia and impairs the ability of insulin to suppress hepatic glucose production and to stimulate glucose uptake and oxidation. GH enhances fat utilisation by stimulating lipolysis and fat oxidation. The significance of these effects is reflected in the finding of increased adiposity in GH deficiency (GHD) and reduced fat mass in acromegaly. GH causes sodium retention which occurs in part through activation of the renin-angiotensin system. Extracellular water volume is diminished in GHD and increased in relation to the extent of GH excess in acromegaly. Lean body mass is reduced in GHD and restored by GH treatment. The anabolic actions of GH are mediated by IGF-1. Studies of whole body protein metabolism show that this occurs through the stimulation of protein synthesis, reduction in protein oxidation but not inhibition of protein breakdown. GH plays an important role in the regulation of substrate metabolism and body composition in man.
在儿童期生长停止后，生长激素（GH）仍会持续分泌，且是成年垂体中含量最为丰富的垂体激素。有充分证据表明，GH在成年人体内仍对身体代谢发挥着重要的生物学作用。GH的作用可能是直接的，也可能通过胰岛素样生长因子-1（IGF-1）间接介导。GH的直接作用对葡萄糖、脂质和钠的稳态产生主要影响。给予GH会导致高胰岛素血症，并损害胰岛素抑制肝葡萄糖生成以及刺激葡萄糖摄取和氧化的能力。GH通过刺激脂肪分解和脂肪氧化来增强脂肪利用。这些作用的重要性体现在生长激素缺乏症（GHD）患者肥胖增加以及肢端肥大症患者脂肪量减少的发现中。GH会导致钠潴留，部分原因是通过激活肾素-血管紧张素系统。GHD患者细胞外液量减少，而在肢端肥大症中，细胞外液量会随着GH过量的程度而增加。GHD患者瘦体重减少，通过GH治疗可恢复。GH的合成代谢作用由IGF-1介导。对全身蛋白质代谢的研究表明，这是通过刺激蛋白质合成、减少蛋白质氧化但不抑制蛋白质分解来实现的。GH在人体底物代谢和身体组成的调节中起着重要作用。
