A new study by Dr. Arne Hinrichs, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Center for Innovative Medical Models (LMU Munich), and Prof. Dr. Eckhard Wolf, Head of the same center, has been published in Molecular Metabolism. Both scientists are Principal Investigators in HyperMet. The article, titled “Transient juvenile hypoglycemia in GH insensitive Laron syndrome pigs is associated with insulin hypersensitivity,” examines the mechanisms driving juvenile hypoglycemia in a large-animal model of growth hormone receptor deficiency (GHR‑KO pigs).
The research team applied advanced metabolic phenotyping, including hyperinsulinemic–euglycemic clamps using stable isotope tracers and targeted serum metabolomics. Their results show that excessive insulin sensitivity, reduced hepatic glucose production, and impaired lipolysis contribute to fasting hypoglycemia in young GHR‑KO pigs. As the animals reached adulthood, normoglycemia was restored, driven by increased adiposity and partial normalization of insulin sensitivity. These findings provide mechanistic insight into the developmental trajectory of glucose regulation in human growth hormone deficiency and insensitivity.
The study highlights how altered substrate utilization — including enhanced β‑oxidation and increased reliance on glucogenic amino acids — shapes the metabolic response to growth hormone signaling defects during early life. The age‑dependent resolution of hypoglycemia occurred independently of sex hormones, offering a new perspective on the metabolic adaptation in Laron syndrome.
The full article is available in Molecular Metabolism:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212877825001802
HyperMet research examines the impact of muscle growth (hypertrophy) and muscle loss (atrophy) on metabolism. Increased muscle mass reduces the risk of obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, and potentially cancer. We are exploring the underlying metabolic processes to develop new strategies for prevention and everyday life.