Initial characterization of the GH-IGF axis and nutritional status of the Ati Negritos of the Philippines.
OBJECTIVE
The Ati Negritos are a Pygmy-like aboriginal population from the Philippines with physical characteristics of short stature, dark skin and woolly, kinked hair. Their final height, components of their GH-IGF axis and various nutritional markers are described. SUBJECTS, DESIGN AND MEASUREMENTS: Auxological data and sera for the components of the GH-IGF axis and nutritional parameters were collected from 9 adult Ati Negritos in their native environment and 10 Filipinos in Sydney.


RESULTS
The height SDS (- 3.66 +/- 1.1 vs. - 1.01 +/- 1.2), weight SDS (- 2.30 +/- 1.6 vs. 0.10 +/- 0.7), and BMI SDS (- 1.4 +/- 1.8 vs. - 0.2 +/- 0.5) between the two groups were significantly different (P < 0.01). The mean height of the 6 male Ati Negritos was 149 +/- 7 and 144 +/- 3 cm for the females and are comparable with the African Pygmies and the Mountain Ok people of Papua New Guinea. The Ati Negritos showed lower growth hormone binding protein (GHBP), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3), acid labile subunit (ALS), zinc, albumin, ferritin, iron, iron saturation and much higher insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGFBP-2) and plasma transferrin concentrations. No differences were noted in random growth hormone (GH), plasma insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II), nor in their plasma concentrations of prealbumin, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (T4).


CONCLUSIONS
Perturbations of both the GH-IGF-I axis and nutritional markers exist in the Ati Negritos. These findings may be determinants of their stature; however, the aetiology of these changes remains to be fully elucidated.
Clavano-Harding
A B
AB
Ray Williams Institute of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, Royal Alexandra, Hospital for Children, NSW, Australia.
Ambler
G R
GR
Cowell
C T
CT
Garnett
S P
SP
Al-Toumah
B
B
Coakley
J C
JC
Ho
K K
KK
Baxter
R C
RC
D000328:Adult; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D018971:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 2 / Q000097:blood; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis*; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010679:Philippines / Q000208:ethnology; D044469:Racial Groups; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D018971:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 2; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014168:Transferrin; C075944:insulin-like growth factor binding protein, acid labile subunit; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron; D015032:Zinc; C051815:somatotropin-binding protein