Systemic Growth Hormone Deficiency Causes Hypersensitivity to Pain
Published June 1, 2019 | IBRO Reports
In recent years, scientists have documented functions and roles for growth hormone (GH) that go well beyond growth and tissue repair. Pain may be one such experience that is modulated by GH.
This hormone can offer relief to people with lower back pain, cutaneous ulcers, and erythromelalgia (characterized by intense burning pain of the extremities). GH also can modulate inflammatory pain in neonates.
Now, a study led by Michael Jankowski, PhD, Department of Anesthesia, demonstrates that GH is crucial to normal functional development of the peripheral nervous system. “GH levels specifically modulate sensory function during early life and appear to substantially influence gene expression patterns in peripheral sensory neurons,” Jankowski says.
Using murine models with growth hormone-releasing receptors knocked out, the researchers found that GH impacted behavioral sensitivity to pain in early life. But by the end of their third postnatal week, the equivalent to early adolescent sensory function in humans, the mice behaved normally. Despite the behavior change, altered gene expression continued in the sensory neurons, which could mean early-life GH signaling in the peripheral nervous system may influence nociception later in life.
These findings suggest that GH therapy may help modulate pain response among children who sustain multiple injuries early in life, including those who require multiple surgical procedures; and for those with GH deficiency.
Further research has begun to evaluate whether GH modulates neonatal pain across multiple injury models and whether GH influences central nervous system function. The results, Jankowski says, “will allow us to determine if GH treatment is a viable strategy to manage pediatric pain.”
