Endocrinology, Vol 104, 1107-1111, Copyright © 1979 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

The effect of hypothyroidism on growth, serum growth hormone, the growth hormone-dependent somatomedin, insulin-like growth factor, and its carrier protein in rats

PJ Burstein, B Draznin, CJ Johnson and DS Schalch

To study the possible mechanisms involved in growth retardation associated with hypothyroidism, serum T4, GH, the GH-dependent somatomedin, insulin-like growth factor (IGF), and its carrier protein (CP) were measured in hypothyroid rats and their age-matched controls. Three groups of rats were studied: infant, immature, and adult. Marked hypothyroidism (serum T4, less than 1 microgram/dl) was produced in experimental animals by providing them with drinking water containing 0.05% propylthiouracil. Infant and immature hypothyroid rats weighed markedly less than normal controls and had significantly reduced serum levels of GH, IGF, and CP. Normal adult rats, treated with propylthiouracil for 60 days, also weighed considerably less than control animals and exhibited a significant drop in serum GH, IGF, and CP during this period. The administration of bovine GH to hypothyroid adult rats for 7 days did not restore either IGF or CP levels to normal, indicating that their decrease in serum was, in part, a direct result of hypothyroidism per se. These results indicate that serum levels of GH, IGF, and CP are at least partly under thyroid hormone control. Furthermore, these studies suggest that the growth retardation associated with hypothyroidism may be mediated through somatomedin activity.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. T. Soliman, M. Omar, A. E. Awwa, M. M. Rizk, R. K. El Alaily, and E. M. A. Bedair Linear Growth, Growth-Hormone Secretion and IGF-I Generation in Children with Neglected Hypothyroidism Before and After Thyroxine Replacement J Trop Pediatr, May 1, 2008; (2008) fmn030v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. P. Peeters, A. W. van den Beld, H. van Toor, A. G. Uitterlinden, J. A. M. J. L. Janssen, S. W. J. Lamberts, and T. J. Visser A Polymorphism in Type I Deiodinase Is Associated with Circulating Free Insulin-Like Growth Factor I Levels and Body Composition in Humans J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., January 1, 2005; 90(1): 256 - 263. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. P. A. Rooman, G. Kuijpers, R. Gresnigt, R. Bloemen, J. G. Koster, and S. C. van Buul-Offers Dexamethasone Differentially Inhibits Thyroxine- or Growth Hormone-Induced Body and Organ Growth of Snell Dwarf Mice Endocrinology, June 1, 2003; 144(6): 2553 - 2558. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. C. Freake, K. E. Govoni, K. Guda, C. Huang, and S. A. Zinn Actions and Interactions of Thyroid Hormone and Zinc Status in Growing Rats J. Nutr., April 1, 2001; 131(4): 1135 - 1141. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				T. Merkulova, A. Keller, P. Oliviero, F. Marotte, J.-L. Samuel, L. Rappaport, N. Lamande, and M. Lucas Thyroid hormones differentially modulate enolase isozymes during rat skeletal and cardiac muscle development Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, February 1, 2000; 278(2): E330 - E339. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. R. Adams, S. A. McCue, M. Zeng, and K. M. Baldwin Time course of myosin heavy chain transitions in neonatal rats: importance of innervation and thyroid state Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, April 1, 1999; 276(4): R954 - R961. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Ramos, L. Goya, C. Alvarez, and A. M. Pascual-Leone Mechanism of Hypothyroidism Action on Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I and -II from Neonatal to Adult Rats: Insulin Mediates Thyroid Hormone Effects in the Neonatal Period Endocrinology, December 1, 1998; 139(12): 4782 - 4792. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Boersma and J. M. Wit Catch-up Growth Endocr. Rev., October 1, 1997; 18(5): 646 - 661. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				B. Moreno, J. C. Rodriguez-Manzaneque, A. Perez-Castillo, and A. Santos Thyroid Hormone Controls the Expression of Insulin-Like Growth Factor I Receptor Gene at Different Levels in Lung and Heart of Developing and Adult Rats Endocrinology, March 1, 1997; 138(3): 1194 - 1203. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H Rothstein, J. Van Wyk, J. Hayden, Gordon SR, and A Weinsieder Somatomedin C: restoration in vivo of cycle traverse in G0/G1 blocked cells of hypophysectomized animals Science, April 25, 1980; 208(4442): 410 - 412. [Abstract] [PDF]