TY - JOUR
T1 - Growth hormone in T-lymphocyte thymic and postthymic development
T2 - A study in HIV-infected children
AU - Vigano, Alessandra
AU - Saresella, Marina
AU - Trabattoni, Daria
AU - Giacomet, Vania
AU - Di Natale, Berardo
AU - Merlo, Marzia
AU - Venuto, Annunziata
AU - Villa, Maria Luisa
AU - Vanzulli, Stefano
AU - Ferrante, Pasquale
AU - Clerici, Mario
PY - 2004/10
Y1 - 2004/10
N2 - Growth hormone (GH) plays a role in thymic function, and recombinant GH may stimulate thymopoiesis in HIV-infected individuals. We performed immunologic analyses in 26 antiretroviral-treated children matched for age, pubertal status, clinical parameters, and antiretroviral exposure who did or did not show an impaired response to GH-release stimulation tests with arginine + GH-releasing hormone. The following abnormalities were found in GH-deficient compared with GH-nondeficient children after >4 years of therapy: CD4 count (P =. 02) and percentage (P =. 03), CD4 as percentage of normal cells for age (P =. 003), serum interleukin-7 concentration (P =. 02), and thymic volume (P =. 01). Naive CD4 (4+62+RA+ and 4+CCR7+RA+) and CD8 (8+CCR7+RA+) lymphocytes were lower in GH-deficient children (P =. 003; P =. 007; and P =. 02, respectively). Postthymic pathways were also impaired in GH-deficient children. Thus, central memory (4+CCR7+RA-) CD4+ cells were reduced (P =. 006), whereas effector memory (4+CCR7-RA-) CD4+ cells (P =. 002) and late effector CD8+ lymphocytes (8+CCR7-RA+ and 8+27-28-) (P =. 009 and P =. 002, respectively) were increased in these children. Growth hormone plays a role in thymic and postthymic pathways, and defective GH production may be associated with incomplete immunoreconstitution. Immunomodulant agents (including GH) could be useful in patients with defective GH production.
AB - Growth hormone (GH) plays a role in thymic function, and recombinant GH may stimulate thymopoiesis in HIV-infected individuals. We performed immunologic analyses in 26 antiretroviral-treated children matched for age, pubertal status, clinical parameters, and antiretroviral exposure who did or did not show an impaired response to GH-release stimulation tests with arginine + GH-releasing hormone. The following abnormalities were found in GH-deficient compared with GH-nondeficient children after >4 years of therapy: CD4 count (P =. 02) and percentage (P =. 03), CD4 as percentage of normal cells for age (P =. 003), serum interleukin-7 concentration (P =. 02), and thymic volume (P =. 01). Naive CD4 (4+62+RA+ and 4+CCR7+RA+) and CD8 (8+CCR7+RA+) lymphocytes were lower in GH-deficient children (P =. 003; P =. 007; and P =. 02, respectively). Postthymic pathways were also impaired in GH-deficient children. Thus, central memory (4+CCR7+RA-) CD4+ cells were reduced (P =. 006), whereas effector memory (4+CCR7-RA-) CD4+ cells (P =. 002) and late effector CD8+ lymphocytes (8+CCR7-RA+ and 8+27-28-) (P =. 009 and P =. 002, respectively) were increased in these children. Growth hormone plays a role in thymic and postthymic pathways, and defective GH production may be associated with incomplete immunoreconstitution. Immunomodulant agents (including GH) could be useful in patients with defective GH production.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jpeds.2004.06.027
DO - 10.1016/j.jpeds.2004.06.027
M3 - Article
C2 - 15480382
AN - SCOPUS:5144227138
VL - 145
SP - 542
EP - 548
JO - Journal of Pediatrics
JF - Journal of Pediatrics
SN - 0022-3476
IS - 4
ER -