Protropin is a synthetic version of human growth hormone (HGH), a naturally occurring substance produced by the pituitary gland. It was developed to treat growth-related disorders, offering a new therapeutic option for individuals with specific medical conditions impacting their growth and development.
Understanding Protropin
Protropin is a brand name for somatrem, a recombinant human growth hormone (hGH). This polypeptide hormone was among the first commercially available forms of hGH produced through recombinant DNA technology. Its development involved inserting the human growth hormone gene into E. coli bacteria, which were modified to produce the hormone. This process allowed for large-scale, consistent production of hGH, improving upon previous methods that extracted the hormone from human pituitary glands. Protropin’s molecular structure is identical to pituitary-derived human growth hormone, except for an added methionine amino acid at its N-terminus.
Conditions Treated with Protropin
Protropin was prescribed for specific medical conditions characterized by growth failure. Its primary indication was for the long-term treatment of children who experienced growth failure due to a lack of adequate endogenous growth hormone secretion. This deficiency means their bodies did not produce enough natural growth hormone.
The medication was also used to address short stature in children with Turner syndrome, a genetic condition affecting development in females. Additionally, Protropin was employed for children suffering from chronic renal insufficiency, a condition where impaired kidney function can hinder normal growth. Protropin aimed to stimulate skeletal growth and improve overall height.
Protropin’s Action in the Body
Protropin influences the body by stimulating skeletal growth, particularly in children with inadequate natural growth hormone. This process occurs at the epiphyseal plates, located at the ends of long bones, where it directly stimulates the growth and metabolism of cells. Beyond skeletal development, Protropin also plays a role in cell reproduction and regeneration, increasing the number and size of skeletal muscle cells. It impacts metabolism, promoting protein synthesis. The hormone also influences carbohydrate metabolism and can lead to increased levels of insulin-like growth factor-I, a mediator of growth hormone’s effects.
Safety Considerations and Its Evolution
Protropin’s safety profile included common side effects like pain at the injection site. More serious potential adverse effects reported included intracranial hypertension, which could manifest as headaches, visual changes, nausea, and vomiting. Another concern was slipped capital femoral epiphysis, a hip condition that may occur more frequently in patients with endocrine disorders or rapid growth.
Protropin could also induce a state of insulin resistance, necessitating monitoring for glucose intolerance. Contraindications for its use included active neoplasia and closed epiphyses, meaning it should not be used in children whose growth plates have fused. Protropin (somatrem) has largely been superseded by somatropin, another recombinant hGH with a slightly different molecular structure, which lacks the extra methionine amino acid. As a result, Protropin ceased production in 2004 as demand shifted towards its successor, Nutropin (somatropin), and is no longer widely used or manufactured.