title: Increased thymic mass and circulating naive CD4 T cells in HIV-1-infected adults treated with growth hormone.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether treatment with growth hormone (GH) enhances thymopoiesis in individuals infected with HIV-1.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five HIV-1-infected adults were treated with GH for 6-12 months in a prospective open-label study. Immunological analyses were performed before GH treatment and repeated at 3 month intervals after GH initiation. Thymic mass was analysed using computed tomography with quantitative density and volume analysis. Analysis of circulating lymphocytes, including naive and memory T cell subsets, was performed using multiparameter flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GH treatment was associated with a marked increase in thymic mass in all GH recipients. Circulating naive CD4 T cells also increased significantly in all patients during GH therapy, suggesting an enhancement of thymopoiesis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GH has significant effects on the human immune system, including the reversal of thymic atrophy in HIV-1-infected adults. De-novo T cell production may thus be inducible in immunodeficient adults.
authors: Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94141, USA.
authors: Laura A
authors: LA
authors: Napolitano
authors: Joan C
authors: JC
authors: Lo
authors: Michael B
authors: MB
authors: Gotway
authors: Kathleen
authors: K
authors: Mulligan
authors: Jason D
authors: JD
authors: Barbour
authors: Diane
authors: D
authors: Schmidt
authors: Robert M
authors: RM
authors: Grant
authors: Robert A
authors: RA
authors: Halvorsen
authors: Morris
authors: M
authors: Schambelan
authors: Joseph M
authors: JM
authors: McCune
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D019891:Leukopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D019382:Human Growth Hormone