Growth hormone causes reversible fibrosis in muscle and fat: a study in patients with acromegaly
Authors' conclusion
Our study reports for the first time that prolonged growth hormone excess induces reversible fibrosis in human adipose and muscle tissue. We hypothesize that fibrosis in acromegaly is mainly driven by a direct effect on collagen formation and likely not secondary to inflammation, which contrasts with obesity-driven AT fibrosis.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with acromegaly; cohort 1 (adipose tissue (AT)) and cohort 2 (skeletal muscle)cohorts of 17 and 15
- Exposure
- After vs before disease control of acromegaly
- Outcome
- Collagen turnover and fibrosis in fat and muscle
Methodological detailstwo patient cohorts, before and after treatment
- Two patient cohorts
- Before and after treatment
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
P < 0.05
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Muscle collagen content (relative units) · decreased after disease control
P = 0.0460
Serum FAPα activity (RFU/min) · decreased after disease control
P < 0.0001
Serum FAPα levels (µg/L) · decreased after disease control
P < 0.001
- Muscle collagen content (relative units): cohort 2 (n = 15)
AT type I and III collagen gene expression
- Type I collagen gene expression decrease
- 53%
- Type III collagen gene expression decrease
- 39%
- Correlated closely with disease activity
Collagen turnover serum biomarkers and inflammatory markers
- In both cohorts, collagen turnover biomarkers declined after disease control
- Inflammatory markers were unaffected
Original publication
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