Long-term effects of recombinant human growth hormone treatment on skeletal maturation and growth in female rhesus monkeys with normal pituitary function.
Female rhesus monkeys (n = 5), having normal pituitary function, were treated for 50 months with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH; 250 micrograms/kg) 3 days/week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and rates of growth were compared with a group of age-matched untreated females (n = 6). Treatment was initiated at 20 months of age, approximately 10 months before the expected age of menarche. Long-term treatment with rhGH accelerated bone maturation and increased the velocity of increase in crown-rump length, tibia length and body weight. The period of acceleration occurred coincident with the occurrence of spontaneous puberty. Body measurements remained larger in the treated females until growth ceased. Long-term rhGH treatment increased final adult crown-rump length by some 3%, with a slight increase in tibia length and body weight, without having any untoward effects on reproductive capacity or health. One treated animal exhibited higher estimates of antibodies to rhGH throughout the study period, and this female also had a smaller increment in crown-rump length than the other treated females. These data suggest that long-term treatment of normal-pituitary females with rhGH augments crown-rump growth without any untoward effects of health.
Yerkes Primate Research Center, Emory University, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30243.
M E
ME
Wilson
J M
JM
Tanner
D000818:Animals; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001846:Bone Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000502:physiology*; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D013977:Tibia / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors
D013006:Growth Hormone