Sexual dimorphism in growth as measured by microknemometry: different responses to GH deficiency and exogenous GH administration.

To monitor growth, a novel noninvasive leg length measurement technique, called microknemometry, which allows daily observation of tibial growth rate, was used. The rat exhibits a striking sex-related difference in postpubertal growth. Exogenous GH administration results in a sexually dimorphic response, affecting growth in normal young female rats but not in males. Here we investigated how chronic GH deficiency affects male and female rat growth patterns. The degree of growth rate recovery was investigated after exogenous GH administration to chronically deficient males and females. The deficiency was induced by neonatal monosodium glutamate (MSG) treatment. Since the neonatal gonadal environment plays an important role in the dimorphic growth pattern, neonatal androgenization of female rats with testosterone or neonatal feminization of male rats by castration was performed and the growth pattern monitored. MSG treatment decreased pituitary GH content and plasma IGF I levels in both sexes, but caused a less marked reduction of female rat tibial growth and body weight gain than in males. Additionally, only MSG-treated males showed decreased pituitary LH content, so that the dimorphic action of MSG on the gonadal axis may contribute to the observed differences in growth rate. GH administration was able to increase leg length in all MSG-treated rats but was more effective in females, despite a similar restoration of plasma IGF I levels in both sexes. Although neonatal castration of male rats resulted in a reduction of tibial growth rate and body weight, and neonatal testosterone administration to female rats caused a slight increase in body weight, a complete modification of the gender-dependent growth pattern was not achieved, indicating that appropriate steroid environment is also needed in puberty and adulthood.