title: Growth hormone enhances thymic function in HIV-1-infected adults.
abstract: Growth hormone (GH) is an underappreciated but important regulator of T cell development that can reverse age-related declines in thymopoiesis in rodents. Here, we report findings of a prospective randomized study examining the effects of GH on the immune system of HIV-1-infected adults. GH treatment was associated with increased thymic mass. In addition, GH treatment enhanced thymic output, as measured by both the frequency of T cell receptor rearrangement excision circles in circulating T cells and the numbers of circulating naive and total CD4(+) T cells. These findings provide compelling evidence that GH induces de novo T cell production and may, accordingly, facilitate CD4(+) T cell recovery in HIV-1-infected adults. Further, these randomized, prospective data have shown that thymic involution can be pharmacologically reversed in humans, suggesting that immune-based therapies could be used to enhance thymopoiesis in immunodeficient individuals.
authors.affiliation: Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology, San Francisco, California 94158, USA. lnapolitano@gladstone.ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Laura A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Napolitano
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Gotway
authors.forename: Niloufar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ameli
authors.forename: Erin L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Filbert
authors.forename: Myra M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Julie L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Clor
authors.forename: Lorrie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Epling
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sinclair
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Baum
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Marisela Lua
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Killian
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bacchetti
authors.forename: Joseph M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: McCune
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D038041:Lymphopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone