This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Children who are deficient in growth hormone (GH) lack the capacity to make and secrete sufficient quantities of GH to maintain adolescent growth and attain the adult height potential. In order to overcome this deficiency in GH, children are required to self-administer an injection of GH three times weekly, a replacement schedule that maintains adolescent growth. However, compliance with the injection schedule is an issue, thus compromising the effectiveness of the therapy. In order to solve this compliance problem and to maintain consistently high levels of GH in circulation to maintain normal adolescent growth, a new form of GH is being developed that, once injected under the skin, will slowly release into circulation over an extended period of time. If this new form of GH proves to be effective, children will only need to receive an injection once every 7 to 10 days. In order to determine the effectiveness of the new form of GH, the present study used adolescent male rhesus monkeys and compared two forms of the extended release GH to the GH children are currently receiving. The data showed the sustained release formulation of GH effectively maintained serum concentrations of GH and, importantly, produced sustained elevations in insulin like growth factor-I, a peripheral mediator of many of GH?s anabolic actions. It is hoped that one of these new formulations of GH be more effective than the GH children are currently receiving.
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