What Is Laron Syndrome?

What Is Laron Syndrome?

 

Laron Syndrome is a genetic mutation that prevents the body from responding to growth hormone. The disease is rare, and there have been approximately a hundred cases of Laron Syndrome.

Symptoms Of Laron Syndrome:

  • Dwarfism
  • Prominent foreheads
  • Hypoglycemia in infancy
  • Short Limbs
  • Piping voices
  • Growth Hormone does not absorb on a cellular level

Individuals with Laron Syndrome have high levels of Growth Hormone, but their cells do not generate ICF-1.

Growth Hormone does not bind to cell receptors. Since receptors are unable to bind the IGF-1, it is not able to stimulate the cell to grow and divide to form new cells.

With damage to the receptors, there is no IGF-1 secreted and no growth occurs.

Laron Syndrome, The Cancer Cure?

Patients with Laron Syndrome do not seem to develop Cancer or Diabetes. Researchers are looking into how the Laron Syndrome Gene Mutation may help cancer patients. 

What Is The Treatment For Laron Syndrome?

To date, there is no cure for Laron syndrome.

The primary treatment for Laron Syndrome is on improving growth.

The only specific treatment available for this condition is subcutaneous injections of insulin-like growth factor often referred to as IGF-1.

IGF-1 stimulates height, improves brain growth and metabolic abnormalities caused by long-term IGF-1 deficiency.

Data shows that IGF-1 injections improve blood glucose levels, reduce cholesterol, and increase muscle growth.

FDA-Approved Treatments For Growth Hormone Deficiency

The medications below have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat Laron Syndrome.

Mecasermin (Brand name: Increlex®) – Manufactured by Tercica, Inc.

Mecasermin rinfabate (Brand name: Iplex®) – Manufactured by Insmed, Inc.

I hope this HypoGal Page has brought you insightful information into, What Is Laron Syndrome?

 

Laron Syndrome Resources:

https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/6859/laron-syndrome

http://discovermagazine.com/2013/april/19-double-edged-genes

http://www.orpha.net/consor/cgi-bin/OC_Exp.php?lng=EN&Expert=633

 

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