The effect of administration of human growth hormone (HGH) (3 mg every 6 hr for 6 days) on the endogenous GH response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia at 8, 12, 24, and 48 hr posttreatment was studied in 11 healthy male adults. Free fatty acid, cortisol, and glucose responses pre- and posttreatment with HGH were evaluated concurrently. Control subjects received saline injections to evaluate rela...

The structural characteristics and glycoprotein nature of the human growth hormone (hGH) receptor in cultured lymphocytes (IM-9 cell line) were studied with the use of a bifunctional reagent (disuccinimidyl suberate) to couple 125I-hGH covalently to intact cells. After cross-linking, the hormone-receptor complexes were analysed by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. A si...

Illicit use of performance-enhancing drugs is a major problem in sports. Since 1967, the International Olympic Committee and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have issued continuously updated lists of prohibited substances. In 1989, the first polypeptide hormones, human growth hormone (hGH), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and adrenocorticotropin, were included in the list (1, 2 ). Presen...

Human growth hormone (hGH) binds and activates lactogenic receptors by a sequential receptor dimerization mechanism. The affinity for the first lactogenic receptor is increased due to one zinc molecule linking hGH residues H18 and E174, located in helices 1 and 4, respectively, with two adjacent residues in the lactogenic receptor (D187 and H188). Two functionally unique groups of mutant hGHs h...

We tested the feasibility of transfecting mammary tissue in vivo with an expression plasmid encoding the human growth hormone (hGH) gene, under the control of the cytomegalovirus promoter. Guinea pig mammary glands were transfected with plasmid DNA infused through the nipple canal and expression was monitored in control and transfected glands by radioimmunoassay of milk samples for hGH. Sustain...

The ability of human tonsillar lymphoid cells to express growth hormone receptor (hGH-N-R) was analyzed by flow cytometry. FITC-coupled recombinant human growth hormone (hGH-N) was used to reveal the receptors, in combination with phenotype markers. Unlike T cells, tonsillar B cells constitutively express the hGH-N receptor. Quiescent cells separated from activated cells by Percoll-gradient cen...

The term small for gestational age (SGA) refers to infants whose birth weights and/or lengths are at least two standard deviation (SD) units less than the mean for gestational age. This condition affects approximately 3%-10% of newborns. Causes for SGA birth include environmental factors, placental factors such as abnormal uteroplacental blood flow, and inherited genetic mutations. In the past ...

Effective delivery of secreted proteins by gene therapy will require a vector that directs stable delivery of a transgene and a regulatory system that permits pharmacologic control over the level and kinetics of therapeutic protein expression. We previously described a regulatory system that enables transcription of a target gene to be controlled by rapamycin, an orally bioavailable drug. Here ...

Production of human proteins in Pichia pastoris has significant advantages. However, there is still need for improvement in various stages of its downstream processing like clarification and purification. In fact downstream processes are usually the most critical part of production of biotech products. This work aimed to evaluate the effect of two steps added to the downstream processes ...