Growth Hormone Receptor/Binding Protein: Physiology and Function

Abstract

Soluble truncated forms of the growth hormone receptor (GHR) are present in the circulation of many species and are also produced by many tissues/cell types. The major high-affinity forms of these GH-binding proteins (GHBP) are derived by alternative splicing of GHR mRNA in rodents, but probably by proteolytic cleavage in other species. Questions still remain with respect to the origins, native molecular form(s), physiology, and function of the GHBPs, however. The observation that GH induces dimerization of the soluble GHBP and membrane GHR, and that dimerization of GHR appears to be critical for GH bioactivity suggests that the presentation of GH to target cells, in an unbound form or as a monomeric or dimeric complex with GHBP, may have significant implications for the ability of GH to activate specific postreceptor signaling pathways (tyrosine kinase, protein kinase C, G-protein pathways) known to be utilized by GH for its diverse biological effects. This minireview addresses some of these aspects and highlights several new questions which have arisen as a result of recent advances in our understanding of the structure, function, and signaling mechanisms of the membrane bound GHR.