title: Growth hormone receptor exon 3 isoforms and their implication in growth disorders and treatment.
abstract: Human recombinant growth hormone (hGH) has been used to treat short stature in several different conditions, but considerable inter-individual variation in short- and long-term growth response exists. Pharmacogenomics can provide important insights into hGH therapy. The GH receptor (GHR) is the first key molecule mediating GH action. In the past 3 years, a common GHR polymorphism reflecting the presence (GHRfl) or absence (GHRd3) of exon 3 has been under intensive investigation regarding its influence on the response to hGH therapy. Studies that evaluated response to GH treatment determined by these two GHR isoforms in children with GH deficiency, girls with Turner syndrome, children born small for gestational age and patients with acromegaly showed that patients carrying the GHRd3 allele demonstrated a greater GH sensitivity than patients homozygous for the GHRfl allele. Other studies presented contradictory data, however, which may be caused by confounding factors such as small sample sizes and differences in experimental design. This GHR exon 3 genotype is the first identified genetic factor found to modulate the individual response to GH therapy. This article reviews the historical aspects and pharmacogenetic studies published to date in relation to this GHR polymorphism. The analyses of present and future validation studies may define the use of this and other polymorphisms in clinical practice, moving from pharmacogenetics to routine application and allowing individualization of hGH doses to optimize final outcome.
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Endocrinologia do Desenvolvimento, Laboratorio de Hormonios e Genetica Molecular LIM/42, Disciplina de Endocrinologia da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. alexj@usp.br or alexj@pq.cnpq.br
authors.forename: Alexander A L
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Jorge
authors.forename: Ivo J P
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Arnhold
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics*; D006720:Homozygote; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010597:Pharmacogenetics / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014424:Turner Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; C051815:somatotropin-binding protein