Purification of Human Growth Hormone on ‘Sephadex G-200’

Abstract

WE have previously reported the preparation of human growth hormone (HGH) from acetone powders of pituitary glands¹. The hormone preparations were obtained in high yield and proved satisfactory in clinical investigations but were by no means electrophoretically homogeneous. We wish to describe now a simple and reproducible method for further purification of this material which has resulted in a growth hormone preparation of markedly increased specific biological activity. This preparation, although still not homogeneous, was shown to be substantially purified by the criteria of disk electrophoresis and ultracentrifugation. No serum protein contamination could be detected when this purified preparation was assayed by immunological techniques. A second fraction obtained by this procedure showed some growth hormone activity and in addition possessed considerable luteinizing hormone (LH) potency. This fraction was analysed by immunological techniques and found to contain serum albumin and a smaller amount of serum globulins.