GROWTH HORMONE (GH) IMPROVES IMMUNE FUNCTION IN GH-DEFICIENT YOUNG
ADOLESCENT
Salama A*, Kamel MM**, Allam MS***, Sharad AE***, Hassan HA***, and
Yehia I***,
* Internal Medicine Department, El-Minia University Hospital,
El-Minia, Egypt
** Pediatric Department, El-Minia University Hospital, El-Minia,
Egypt
*** Clinical Pathology Departments, faculty of Medicine, El-Azhar
University, Egypt
**** Physiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, El-Minia, Egypt
Objectives:
This work was designed to delineate the role of growth hormone (GH)
in development and function of the immune system.
Methods: Sixteen short stature young adolescent
previously diagnosed as growth hormone deficient were studied for
evaluation of the immune status before and after treatment with recombinant
human growth hormone (rhGH). Ten apparently healthy young adolescents were
included in the study as control group.
Results: The obtained results showed significant
impairment in mitogen stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and
phagocytic function with nitro blue tetrazolium test (NBT) in GH-deficient
young adolescent when compared to control group [73.18 versus 146.2
(p<0.0001) and 50.13 versus 82.2 (p<0.0001) respectively].
This impairment was
significantly improved after treatment with rhGH (p<0.0001). However, no
significant differences were found in total B-lymphocytes CD3, CD4, CD8,
CD4/CD8 ratio and immunoglobulin levels between GH-deficient young
adolescent and control group and between values obtained before and after
rhGH treatment.
Conclusion: These results indicate that growth
hormone can improve immune function in GH-deficient young adolescent and
may improve resistance to infection