title: Expression of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor in the immune system of children.
abstract: Our objective was to study the effect of the growth hormone--insulin-like growth factor axis on the development of the immune system in children. We used radio receptor analysis, dot blot, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemical techniques to determine the expression and distribution of growth hormone and growth hormone receptors, insulin-like growth factors, receptors and binding proteins in the thymus, lymph nodes and peripheral blood lymphocytes of children and adults. Our results showed that almost all components of the growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor axis were expressed in immune organs and cells, but the levels of expression varied. Growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor I, and insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins 1-6 were produced by immune cells in autocrine or paracrine ways. The expression of growth hormone receptors on peripheral blood lymphocytes was to be age-related. The growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor axis may help regulate the development and function of the immune system in children.
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics Institute of Children's Hospital, Shanghai Medical University, PR China. yyang@shmu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000378:metabolism*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009928:Organ Specificity; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011986:Receptors, Somatotropin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011986:Receptors, Somatotropin; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II