Growth Hormone Levels in Vitamin B₆-Deficient Rats

Abstract

Weanling rats were fed vitamin B₆ deficient and control diets for a three week period. Serum immunoassayable growth hormone (GH) was determined at several intervals during the test periods. Pituitary hormone levels were measured at the end of the test period. Those rats developing vitamin B₆ deficiency had consistently lower levels of serum and pituitary growth hormone than ad libitum fed controls. Pair fed controls had growth hormone levels similar to the deficient animals. The results indicated that vitamin B₆ deficiency resulted in depressed, but still immunoassayable, amounts of circulating growth hormone. The lower levels may in part be related to the inanition associated with the deficiency. The deficiency did not significantly impair the ability of rats to mobilize pituitary reserves of growth hormone in response to pentobarbital stimulus, which suggests that vitamin B₆ deficiency in rats does not affect the hypothalamic-hypophyseal axis.

Key words

Vitamin B₆ Deficiency - Growth Hormone - Inanition - Pair Feeding