Objective To evaluate the clinical significance of determination for serum insulin like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP 3) protease activity. Methods Serum IGFBP 3 protease activity in normal persons, parturient pregnant women, acromegalic patients and patients with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) was determined by Western blot technique. Results Serum IGFBP 3 protease activity in parturient pregnant women, acromegalic patients,normaladultsanduntreatedGHDpatientswere (75.2?2.2)%, (68.6?3.9)%, (22.7?3.1)% and (13.4?4.2)% respectively. Serum IGFBP 3 protease activity in GHD increased to (29.0?6.8)% after treatment with recombining human somatropin (rhGH) for six months. Conclusions Serum IGFBP 3 protease activity is modulated by GH and affects serum levels of members of GH IGF Ⅰ axis.

Prolactin (PRL) is a multi-functional hormone mainly from pituitary gland. PRL receptors exist ubiquitously in all tissues and organs of immune system and PRL modulates local and systemic immune activities. PRL is involved in many physiological and pathological immune responses. The function of PRL in autoimmune diseases, organ transplantation and tumor occurrence has been explored in recent years. This article is to review the progress of prolactin in the immunology-related field.

To study the effects of growth hormone on function of T lymphocytes. Methods: Tne expression plasmid PcDNA-GHcDNA was constructed,then the plasmids were transfected into Jurkat cells,on the other hand,Jurkat cells were treated with different doses ofrhGH, to investigate the effect of overexpression GH and rhGH on function of T lymphocytes. Results: Overexpression GH could increase the ex-pression of IL-2R(140％) and secretion of IL-2(160％) and IFN-γ( 198% ) in Jurkat cells after PHA activation,but these data were broughtdown by the treatment of GH antibody. rhGH could also enhancer the function of T lymphocytes after PHA activation. Conclusion: These resultssupport the idea that GH is an autocrine and paracrine factor, and can regulate the function of T lymphocytes.

Objective:To study the effects of hormones on expression of GH gene in T lymphocyte.Methods:PGL2 GH Lucaluciferase reporter gene expression plasmid with hGH gene promotor was constructed and was transfected into Jurkat cells,Hormones were put into the medium of cell culture.Results:The expression of luciferase in Jurkat cells could be inhibited by different doses of hGH and GHRH (P

Two types of steroid 5?-reductase isozymes were found in human and rats.5?-reductase type 2 deficiency in male lead to male pseudohermaphroditism and other related phenotypes.The content of this review includes:① The progress in the fields of 5?-reductase research;②Biochemical characteristics and physiological effects of 5?-reductase.③ Gene structure and mutation in 5?-reductase genes,clinical and chemical features of 5?-reductase type 2 deficiency syndrome.④Inhibitory agents of 5?-reductase and their mechanism and clinical use.The investigation in 5?-reductase help to illuminate physiological effect and sexual differentiation of androgen.The development of new inhibitory agents for 5?-reductase creats new strategy for diseases caused by imbalance of androgen action.Their mechanism and long effects of clinical use need further investigation and observation.

Objective To establish a method of primary culture of human preadipocyte in a serum-free medium. Methods Collangenase digestion was used to dispart preadipocyte.The cells were identified by microscopy stained by oil red O and determination of the activity of Glycerol-3-phosphate dehydronase(G-3-PDH). Results The primary cultured human preadipocyte proliferated in the aserum-free medium successfully.In the differential serum-free medium the cells turned to be round on the 4 th day.The adipose drops began to cumulate in the cells,and to the most quantity until the 21 st day.Conclusion The human preadipocyte can be primarily cultured and induced to differentiate in serum-free medium,which is the base for researching the effects of hormones and factors to the proliferation and differentiation of preadipocyte.

Objective To study the clinical characteristics of the patients of GH-secreting pituitary adenoma with hyperprolactinaemia. Methods The clinical data of 124 cases of GH-secreting pituitary adenoma with hyperprolactinaemia treated in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 1984 to 2004, including 87 cases followed up for over one year , were analyzed retrospectively. Results Of 124 patients, there are 88 females and 36 males and the course of disease in males (8.0?7.3) years was longer than that in females (5.5?4.3)years (P

OBJECTIVETo study the value of serum insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) levels in differential diagnosis of growth hormone deficiency (GHD).

METHODSTo measure serum IGFBP-3 levels by RIA in normal children and adolescents, GHD children and short-stature children without GHD.

RESULTSSerum level of IGFBP-3 in 129 children with untreated GHD and with no pubertal development was 1.6 +/- 0.9 mg/L, which was less than that in normal group of the same age, but overlapped with the normal children in Tanner stage I. After six-month treatment with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH), serum level of IGFBP-3 in 59 GHD significantly increased from 1.3 +/- 0.7 mg/L to 2.7 +/- 0.9 mg/L, accompanied by an increase of body heights, growth velocities and serum level of IGF-1. Serum level of IGFBP-3 in 55 short-stature children without GHD was 3.3 +/- 2.2 mg/L, which was not significantly different from that in normal group.

CONCLUSIONSerum IGFBP-3 level can reflect the status of GH secretion in children with GHD and is a useful marker for differential diagnosis of GHD.

Adolescent ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Body Height ; drug effects ; Child ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Human Growth Hormone ; deficiency ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 ; blood ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; metabolism ; Male ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of sibutramine (Reductile )in Chinese obese patients. Methods Obese adults (BMI 27～45 kg/m 2) in six research centers received sibutamine 10 mg or placebo one tablet each day with a controlled-energy diet for 24 weeks by randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study. Results For intent-to-treat analysis, 125 sibutramine-treated subjects and 126 placebo-treated subjects were evaluated. After 24 weeks, sibutramine-treated patients lost more weight (6.52?3.95)kg than placebo-treated patients (3.18?3.59)kg(P

Objective To evaluate the significance of human interleukin-31(IL-31)in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis and its correlation with pruritus in patients with atopic dermatitis(AD).Methods Twenty-two children with mild to severe atopic dermatitis and 22 age-matched healthy controls were included in this study.Patients and controls were randomly and equally assigned into stimulation and non-stimulation groups.Venous blood samples were obtained from all participants,peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from these samples and cultured with(stimulation groups)or without(non-stimulation groups)staphylococcal enterotoxin B(SEB)for 24 hours.Then,the mRNA expression of IL-31 on PBMCs was assessed via real-time reverse transcription-PCR.ELISA was used to detect the total serum IgE level in these objects.The severity of AD in patients was rated according to scoring atopic dermatitis(SCORAD).The relationship between the mRNA expression of IL-31 and the level of serum total IgE.severity of atopic dermatitis,and degree of pruritus.was evaluated.Results The expression of IL-31 mRNA on non-stimulated PBMCs from patients was 23.2 folds as high as that from the healthy controls(P＜0.01).The stimulation with SEB upregulated the mRNA expression of IL-31 on PBMCs.and the increase on PBMCs from patients was 20.44 times of that from the controls.The total serum IgE level was 260.05 IU/mL(5.9-1131.01 IU/mL)and 17.7 IU/mL(5-140.7 IU/mL)in the Patients and controls respectively(P＜0.01).There was no significant correlation between the mRNA expression of IL-31 and disease severity or total serum IgE level(r=0.07.0.22respectively.both P＞0.05)in patients witll AD.Condusions IL.3 1 is involved in t11e pathogenesis of AD,which is unlikely to be IgE-dependent.SEB can induce the rapid expression of IL-31 on PBMCs of healthy human,and is an important modulator for the production of IL-31.