ABSTRACT

The ability of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) to protect against losses of body protein during periods of dietary nitrogen restriction has been evaluated in young rats. Recombinant human IGF-I was administered by osmotic pumps at dose rates of 0, 1·2 or 2·9 mg/kg per day over a 7-day period beginning with the transfer of animals from an 18% to a 4% protein diet. A fourth group received the potent truncated IGF-I analogue, des(1–3)IGF-I, at a dose of 1·2 mg/kg per day over a comparable 7-day period. Plasma IGF-I levels were reduced by 60% following nitrogen restriction, a reduction that was partly prevented by IGF-I administration, especially at the higher dose, but not measurably by des(1–3)IGF-I. The major IGF-binding protein circulating in blood, IGFBP-3, demonstrated a similar pattern of change.

A significant (P<0·05) protection of body weight was achieved in the low dose IGF-I and des(1–3)IGF-I groups, but only after differences in food intake had been eliminated by analysis of covariance. Nitrogen balances were not significantly different unless analysis of covariance was used to adjust for the nitrogen intakes, whereupon all treatment groups showed improved balance, especially the animals treated with the low IGF-I dose and des(1–3)IGF-I (both P<0·01). The rate of muscle protein breakdown calculated from the urinary excretion of 3-methylhistidine was not significantly altered by the treatments, but fell progressively throughout the 7 days. The fractional rate of muscle protein synthesis measured on the final day was increased by 31, 26 and 21% respectively by the low and high doses of IGF-I and by des(1–3)IGF-I. Organ weights (g/kg body weight) showed no effects of IGF-I treatment except for 16% increases in the weight of kidneys in the high dose IGF-I and the des(1–3)IGF-I groups. Carcass analyses demonstrated higher water and lower fat contents (all P< 0·01) in the same groups. These results suggest that exogenous IGF-I and especially des(1–3)IGF-I can partly protect body protein reserves during nitrogen restriction.

Journal of Endocrinology (1991) 128, 97–105

ABSTRACT

Administration of IGF-I over a 14-day period to growing female rats via s.c. implanted osmotic pumps led to an increased body weight gain, an improved N retention and a greater food conversion efficiency. The effects were dose-dependent, with the highest daily dose tested, 278 μg/day, producing 18–26% increases in these measurements. LR³IGF-I, a variant of human IGF-I that contains an amino terminal extension peptide as well as glutamate-3 replaced by arginine and exhibits very weak binding to IGF-binding proteins, was substantially more potent than the natural growth factor, in that 44 μg/day of this peptide produced similar effects to the high IGF-I dose. Organ weight and carcass composition measurements showed that the two IGF peptides generally maintained body proportions at those existing when the experiment began. Muscle protein synthesis and myofibrillar protein breakdown were both slightly increased by IGF treatment, so that the observed improvement in N retention could not be explained through protein accretion rates calculated from these measures. Infusion of human GH at a dose of 213 μg/day did not stimulate body growth. This investigation establishes that IGF peptides stimulate the growth of normal growing animals, with IGF-I variants that bind less well to IGF-binding proteins being more active than IGF-I.

Journal of Endocrinology (1993) 137, 413–421