Growth hormone enhances thymic function in HIV-1–infected adults
J. Clin. Invest. Laura A. Napolitano, et al. 118:1085 doi:10.1172/JCI32830 [Go to this article.]

Figure 2
GH treatment is associated with the emergence of dense thymus tissue in HIV-1–infected adults. Representative scans are shown for 9 study participants (numbered 1–9). (A) Cross-sectional comparison of thymus scans from 3 control arm participants (1–3, left panel, no GH) and 3 GH arm participants (4–6, right panel, GH) during the first 6 months of the study. All baseline scans showed low attenuation grayish black adipose tissue in the anterior mediastinum (arrows), consistent with thymic involution. Repeat CT scans obtained 6 months after the baseline scans revealed a marked increase in thymic density in GH recipients (far-right column). This brighter higher-attenuation tissue is consistent with cellular thymus. In contrast, no changes were observed in the absence of GH (second column from left). (B) Longitudinal display of serial thymus CT scans from 3 control arm participants (nos. 7–9) taken at study baseline; 6 months into the study in the absence of GH; pre-GH baseline 12 months into the study; and 18 months into the study after 6 months of GH treatment. As seen in the cross-sectional comparisons, thymus is involuted in the absence of GH, and GH treatment (far-right column) is associated with the emergence of dense thymus tissue.