Plasma Agouti-Related Protein Levels in Acromegaly and Effects of Surgical or Pegvisomant Therapy.

ABSTRACT:

Context

GH activates agouti-related protein (AgRP) neurons, leading to orexigenic responses in mice. The relationship between serum GH and plasma AgRP, which has been shown to reflect hypothalamic AgRP, has not been evaluated in humans.

Objective

To test the hypothesis that central stimulatory actions of GH on hypothalamic AgRP could be reflected in plasma AgRP in acromegaly.

Methods

We studied 23 patients with active acromegaly before and for ≤2 years after surgical (n = 13) or GH receptor antagonist therapy with pegvisomant (n = 10), and 100 healthy subjects with morning fasting blood samples for AgRP, leptin, GH, and IGF-1 and anthropometric measurements.

Results

The plasma AgRP levels were higher in those with active acromegaly than in the matched healthy s

SUBMITTER: Freda PU 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6777636 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature