R. Chirino et al., THE ROLE OF GROWTH-HORMONE IN REGULATION OF LOW-AFFINITY GLUCOCORTICOID-BINDING SITES FROM MALE-RAT LIVER-MICROSOMES, Endocrinology, 134(3), 1994, pp. 1409-1415
GH participates in the regulation of the expression of several hepatic
proteins, some of which are subject to multihormonal control. We have
previously shown the participation of glucocorticoids and thyroid hor
mones in the regulation of the hepatic low affinity glucocorticoid-bin
ding sites (LAGS). Here, we provide evidence that also implicates GH i
n the endocrine control of the LAGS through the use of several animal
models, all of them having a very low or undetectable plasma GH level:
the hypothyroid (TX), the hypophysectomized, and the GH-defficient Le
wis-derived dwarf rat. In dwarf rats, the level of LAGS was only 35% o
f that found in normal Lewis rats. Treatment of these rats with human
(h) GH significantly increased the LAGS level in a dose-response manne
r. In TX rats, hGH treatment provoked a significant increase in the LA
GS level (from 0.9 +/- 0.2 to 7.2 +/- 0.8 pmol/mg protein), so that it
represented about 65% of the level found in intact animals. In both h
ypothyroid-adrenalectomized and hypophysectomized rats, the isolated e
ffect of hGH was not as pronounced as in TX or dwarf rats; however, a
potentiation of the effect of hGH was observed when this hormone was i
njected together with corticosterone acetate. On the other hand, when
hGH, T-3, and corticosterone acetate were given in combination to hypo
physectomized rats, hGH and T-3 behaved as agonists of the LAGS induct
ion at T-3 doses lower than or equal to 0.1 mu g/100 g BW and as antag
onists at T-3 doses higher than this. When T-4 was used instead of T-3
, this hormone was capable of potentiating the effect of hGH at doses
lower than or equal to 1.5 mu g/100 g BW. From these results we conclu
de that 1) GK as well as thyroid and glucocorticoid hormones participa
te in the endocrine regulation of the LAGS; and 2) under physiological
conditions, it is conceivable that GH, thyroid hormones, and glucocor
ticoids act synergistically in the endocrine regulation of the LAGS.