title: Effects of growth hormone treatment on red cell plasma membrane fatty acid constituents in hypopituitary adults.
abstract: The effects of replacement with recombinant human GH (hGH) on red cell plasma membrane fatty acid and cholesterol constituents were assessed in nine adult patients with growth hormone deficiency. They were treated with hGH in a dose of 0.125 U.kg-1.wk-1 for four weeks and at 0.25 U.kg-1.wk-1 thereafter for an overall mean duration 13.5 +/- 3.9 months (mean +/- SD). The relative proportions of the various phospholipid fatty acid constituents and the proportion of cholesterol in the phospholipid bilayer were assayed every six months. At the end of the study, the percentage of arachadonic acid (20:4) in membrane phospholipid was found to rise by an average of 3.7% (P < 0.05) and there appeared to be a nonsignificant trend showing an increase in highly unsaturated fatty acids, namely linoleate (18:2) and gamma linolenic acid (18:3) and a corresponding decrease in unsaturated fatty acids, namely palmitate (16:0) and stearate (18:0) and monounsaturated fatty acids such as palmitoleic acid (16:1), oleic acid (18:1) and oleic acid isomer (18:1 iso). In addition, the proportion of cholesterol in the plasma membrane i.e. the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio was found to decrease by 0.84% (P < 0.05). There was a significant increase in HbAlc from 4.85 +/- 0.51 to 4.94 +/- 0.45% (P < 0.01) by the end of the study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee.
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Leese
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nicoll
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gallacher
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ross
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000032:analysis*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D010743:Phospholipids