title: Decreased serum growth hormone-binding protein in patients with liver cirrhosis.
abstract: The recently characterized GH-binding protein (GH-BP) has an amino acid sequence identical to the extracellular domain of the GH receptor. Serum GH-BP reflects the amount of GH receptors, and the liver seems to be their main source. To evaluate the effect of liver disease on GH-BP, 52 patients with liver cirrhosis were studied. Serum GH-BP was measured by a binding assay with dextran-coated charcoal separation. Levels of GH-BP were correlated against the clinical state, assessed by Pugh's score. The GH-BP of 31 Pugh's class A patients was 9.7 +/- 0.5%/50 microL serum, and that of 21 Pugh's class B and C patients was 7.2 +/- 0.5%/50 microL serum compared to 11.3 +/- 0.5%/50 microL serum in age-matched controls. GH-BP correlated negatively with Pugh's score and serum bilirubin, and positively with serum albumin. It did not correlate with serum liver enzymes or serum insulin-like growth factor-I. Scatchard analysis of GH binding to the GH-BP revealed similar binding affinities in Pugh's A, B, and C patients and controls. The binding capacity in cirrhosis was significantly lower than that in controls. We conclude that serum GH-BP is controlled mainly by the liver and can provide an additional measure of disease severity in liver cirrhosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine B, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Baruch
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Amit
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hertz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Enat
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Youdim
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hochberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D011986:Receptors, Somatotropin / Q000378:metabolism; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D011986:Receptors, Somatotropin; D012709:Serum Albumin; D001663:Bilirubin; C051815:somatotropin-binding protein