Normal circulating immunoreactive growth hormone releasing factor (hGRF) concentrations in patients with functional hypothalamic hGRF deficiency.

Journal article

Using a highly specific radioimmunoassay we have measured the concentrations of human growth hormone releasing factor (ir-hGRF) in the peripheral circulation of six individuals with acquired hypothalamic hGRF deficiency. Despite their hypothalamic dysfunction venous plasma ir-hGRF increased normally in every patient after the stimulus of a mixed breakfast, from an average concentration basally of 13.6 +/- 6.0 pg/ml to a maximum of 29.0 +/- 8.4 pg/ml (mean +/- SEM) at 120 min. The findings indicate that circulating hGRF is at least in large part extrahypothalamic in origin, which in turn implies a physiological role for hGRF in the periphery.

Authors: Sopwith, A; Penny, E; Grossman, A; Savage, M; Besser, G

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Clinical endocrinology
• Volume: 24
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 395-400
• Publication date: 1986-04-01
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1986.tb01643.x
• EISSN: 1365-2265
• ISSN: 0300-0664
• Language: English
• Keywords: Humans; Middle Aged; Female; Child; Male; Adolescent; Growth Hormone; Peptide Fragments; Insulin; Hypothalamus; Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; Sermorelin