EFFECTS OF GROWTH HORMONE IN DIABETIC DOGS1

Abstract

Injns. of purified growth hormone greatly aggravated the severity of diabetes in depancreatized dogs and in a metahypophys-eal diabetic dog that were maintained on a steady dose of insulin. In these diabetic dogs given their usual supply of insulin, injns. of growth hormone increased the plasma fibrin and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Leukocytosis due to marked increases in neutrophil granulocytes and lesser increases in band cells occurred. Massive deposition of fat occurred in the liver and the content of fat-free solids increased. The lipid content and the fat-free solids of the kidney also increased. Severe fatty degeneration of the heart occurred in the metahypophyseal dog given growth hormone. Evidence from depancreatized dogs deprived of insulin indicates that the increase in liver and kidney fat of the dogs given growth hormone may be due, in part at least, to a relative deficiency of insulin. Withdrawal of insulin from depancreatized dogs was followed by neutrophilia, with a relatively small effect on stab cells. In these dogs the plasma fibrin levels and the ESR were high and rather variable but were not altered significantly by lack of insulin. Evidence is given which suggests that the growth hormone creates an increased metabolic demand for insulin, and increases, at some stage of its effects, the rate of secretion of insulin by the pancreas.