Impaired growth hormone secretion associated with low glucocorticoid levels: an experimental model for the Giustina effect

Excerpt

Hattori et al. [1] in this issue of Endocrine report on an interesting experimental model of dioxin-induced fetal growth retardation. This study found that oral administration of dioxin to pregnant rats reduced both the pituitary expression and serum levels of growth hormone (GH) in perinatal pups [1]. Concomitantly, dioxin decreased serum concentration of corticosterone in the studied model. Administration of physiological doses of corticosterone to dioxin-exposed mothers restored or tended to restore the dioxin-induced reduction of both GH expression and fetal body weight [1]. Taken together, these observations suggest that dioxin-induced fetal growth disorders are due, at least in part, to impaired GH expression and secretion in the presence of low circulating glucocorticoids [1]. …