Effect of insulin-induced hypoglycemia on circulating levels of plasma growth hormone-releasing hormone and somatostatin in children.
In response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia (0.1 U insulin/kg body weight, i.v.) plasma levels of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), somatostatin (SLI), and growth hormone (GH) were measured by radioimmunoassay in 10 children with short stature. Insulin injection resulted in a significant increase in plasma GHRH values at 15 min (10.0 +/- 0.5 vs. 17.1 +/- 3.1 pg/ml; p less than 0.05) preceding the increase in plasma GH levels (1.5 +/- 0.4 vs. 13.6 +/- 1.2 ng/ml; p less than 0.001). SLI concentrations peaked between 15 and 60 min after insulin injection (20.9 +/- 1.2 vs. 47.1 +/- 6.2 pg/ml; p less than 0.01). No correlation was present between plasma GHRH or SLI levels and plasma GH concentrations. A significant negative correlation could be established between maximum increments of plasma GHRH and SLI levels (r = -0.843; p less than 0.01) in response to insulin injection. This finding suggests a possible relationship between these two hormones at peripheral level.
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced*; D007328:Insulin; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000097:blood*
D007328:Insulin; D013004:Somatostatin; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone