Protein biomarker for growth hormone found

Athens, Ohio -- U.S. scientists say they have identified several proteins in mice that might act as biomarkers for growth hormone.

Ohio University researchers said their study could be the first step to finding a more reliable way to detect recombinant human growth hormone that some people use illegally to boost muscle and reduce fat.

Professor John Kopchick and graduate student Juan Ding said they have pinpointed four proteins that significantly decreased or increased in the blood after exposure to bovine growth hormone, which is similar to human growth hormone.

The researchers injected six 6-month-old male mice with growth hormone for seven days and then studied blood samples, comparing the results with six control animals. Kopchick and Ding scanned hundreds of plasma proteins and found four -- apoA1, transthyretin, clusterin and albumin -- that showed a strong reaction to growth hormone.

"In mice we can control the variables and the environment but humans are genetically diverse and have different lifestyles that impact growth hormone. So the results may point to future study in humans but may not necessarily apply to humans yet," said Ding.

The study was presented Tuesday in San Francisco during the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.