Abstract: This invention is a method for treating human erectile dysfunction using therapeutic amounts of human growth hormone (GH) administered systemically. Severing the parasympathetic nerves that regulate the erectile function during the course of surgery produces erectile dysfunction. Damage to these nerves by diseases such as diabetes mellitus and alcoholism and during aging may also produce erectile dysfunction. GH stimulates the regeneration of severed parasympathetic nerves that regulate the erectile function restoring potency. GH may act directly or by stimulating the production of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). The combination of GH plus an IGF (with or without one of the IGF binding proteins) may provide a better response than GH alone.

Abstract: This invention relates to polypeptides that are human somatomedin carrier protein subunits and to processes for producing them. The carrier protein subunits bind to human somatomedin-like polypeptides, also known as insulin-like growth factors. The process involves preparation from a human serum fraction, Cohn IV-1, by a molecule of various chromatographic steps.This invention also relates to DNA molecules encoding human somatomedin carrier protein-like polypeptides, recombinant DNA molecules, hosts, processes for producing carrier protein-like polypeptides, human somatomedin carrier protein-like polypeptides produced using those molecules, hosts and processes. The invention relates to DNA molecules and their expression in appropriate hosts. The recombinant DNA molecules contain DNA molecules that code for polypeptides which have a biological activity of the human carrier protein or a human carrier protein subunit capable of binding somatomedins.

Abstract: Methods and compositions are disclosed for producing human somatomedin carrier protein-like polypeptides. Human somatomedin carrier protein-like polypeptides, which bind somatomedins, are produced using recombinant technology. Also disclosed are methods for making complexes of human somatomedin carrier protein-like polypeptides and somatomedins.