title: Influence of pyridostigmine on growth hormone (GH) response to GH-releasing hormone pre- and postprandially in normal and obese subjects.
abstract: The effect of pyridostigmine (PYR), an inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase, on the GH response to GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) before and after a meal was studied in 14 normal subjects (8 females and 6 males) and 21 obese subjects (13 females and 8 males). In normal subjects tested in a fasting state, PYR was capable of stimulating GH secretion and increasing the GH response to GHRH. These effects were not apparent after food, suggesting a reduction in cholinergic hypothalamic activity. In obese subjects tested in a fasting state, PYR was ineffective when administered alone. On the contrary, it was able to increase the GH response to GHRH. After food, the augmenting effect of PYR on the GH response to GHRH was not observed, whereas a delayed inhibition of the GH response was found after PYR plus GHRH treatment. Our findings support the hypothesis that cholinergic hypothalamic activity plays a pivotal role in impaired GH regulation and the altered sensitivity of GH secretion to metabolic fuels in obese subjects.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Endocrinology, Catholic University School of Medicine, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Marinis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zuppi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Calabrò
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fiumara
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lagonigro
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Fabrizi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sammartano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011729:Pyridostigmine Bromide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012016:Reference Values; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D013006:Growth Hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; D011729:Pyridostigmine Bromide