title: Growth hormone release by the novel GH releasing peptide hexarelin in patients with homozygous beta-thalassemia.
abstract: Patients with beta-thalassemia often present with abnormalities in growth and other endocrine functions. Growth hormone (GH) secretion is controlled via somatostatin and growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH). Recently, Hexarelin, a new potent GH secretagogue (His-D-2-Methyl-Trp-Ala-Trp-D-Phe-Lys-NH2), was synthesized. Our study was designed to assess and compare its efficacy as a GH secretagogue to GHRH 1-29 in beta-thalassemia. Eighteen patients, regularly transfused and chelated, were studied; 11 were short statured. None had diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, hypopara-thyroidism or major organ failure. We measured GH at 0, 30, 60, 90, 120 min after GHRH 1-29 or Hexarelin administration. Hexarelin p.o. or i.v. evoked a brisk rise of serum GH which was significantly higher (p < 0.01) than that induced by GHRH 1-29 i.v. In conclusion, Hexarelin has greater GH releasing capacity than GHRH 1-29 at 1 microgram/kg i.v. and can thus be viewed as a potential therapeutic agent in GH deficient states.
authors.affiliation: University of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tolis
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Karydis
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Markousis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karagiorga
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mesimeris
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lenaerts
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deghenghi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017337:Sermorelin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D006133:Growth Substances; D009842:Oligopeptides; C086184:hexarelin; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D017337:Sermorelin