Abstract

The effects of continuous 14 day infusion of recombinant human IGF-I (104 or 260 μg/day) or IGF-II (104, 260 or 650 μg/day) via s.c. implanted osmotic pumps were compared in young female rats in order to establish the relative efficacies of these two growth factors.

Significant increases in body weight gain and feed conversion efficiency were achieved by 260 of IGF-I or 650 μg/day of IGF-II. These treatments were associated with increased nitrogen retention and increases in the fractional weights of kidneys, spleen, total gut and individual gut regions. There was an increase in the size of villi and muscularis lining the jejunum, suggesting an increased absorptive capacity of the gut. However there was no significant change in the amount of faecal nitrogen excretion when expressed as a percentage of nitrogen intake. Interestingly, IGF-II was at least as potent as IGF-I in increasing the depth of jejunal crypts. Infusion of equivalent doses of either IGF-I or IGF-II resulted in similar increases in circulating concentrations of the respective peptides, though IGF-II infusion dosedependently decreased plasma IGF-I concentrations from those of the controls. Plasma IGF-binding protein levels were increased by both IGF-I and IGF-II treatments, though IGF-I elicited greater responses.

In summary, IGF-II can promote the growth of young female rats, although generally less potently than IGF-I.

Journal of Endocrinology (1995) 144, 91–98

ABSTRACT

The effects of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) on the gut of 150 g dexamethasone-treated rats were compared with those of two analogues with reduced affinity for IGF-binding proteins, des(1–3)IGF-I and LR³IGF-I, an N-terminal-extended variant. Administration of IGF-I for 7 days to rats made catabolic by co-treatment with dexamethasone induced a dose-dependent increase in total gut weight, with the highest dose of IGF-I (695 μg/day) increasing gut weight by up to 60%, and gut weight as a fraction of body weight by up to 32%. Effects were apparent in all regions of the gut examined, including the stomach, small intestine and colon. Histological and biochemical analyses of the intestine showed that cross-sectional mass, rather than gut length, was increased, and proportional increases in wet weight, protein and DNA content per unit length were measured in both the mucosa and muscularis layers. The rate of duodenal protein synthesis measured on day 7 of treatment was not increased by IGF-I treatment. The IGF-I analogues had qualitatively similar effects to IGF-I, but were consistently severalfold more potent, providing evidence that IGF-binding proteins reduce the biological activity of exogenous IGF-I in the gut. The results indicate that the gut is one of the most sensitive IGF-I target tissues, and that potency in vivo correlates with a reduced interaction with IGF-binding proteins.

Journal of Endocrinology (1992) 133, 421–431

Abstract

We have tested whether an animal with substantial amounts of both IGF-I and IGF-II in circulation, such as the guinea pig, would respond to chronic IGF infusion in the same manner as the adult rat, which has negligible amounts of IGF-II in blood. Female guinea pigs of 350 g body weight were continuously infused for 7 days with recombinant guinea pig IGF-I or -II (120 or 360 μg/day) or long R³ IGF-I (LR³IGF-I) (120 μg/day), an analogue which has much reduced affinities for IGF binding proteins. IGF-I or IGF-II infusion led to substantial increases in plasma IGF-I or IGF-II respectively in comparison with vehicle-infused animals. Nevertheless, body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion efficiency and carcass composition were not significantly affected by any treatment (significance was deemed to be P<0·05). Amongst the tissues examined only the fractional weight (g/kg body weight) of the adrenals was increased, and that only by the higher dose (360 μg/day) of IGF-I. However, the fractional weight of adrenals, gut, kidneys and spleen were significantly increased by LR³IGF-I, but again overall growth was not stimulated. A possible explanation for the lack of IGF-I effects is that total circulating IGF concentrations were not increased by these treatments. IGF-II significantly raised total IGF concentrations at the higher dose only. Plasma IGF-I was reduced by IGF-II infusion, as was plasma IGF-II by IGF-I infusion. LR³IGF-I treatment lowered both plasma IGF-I and IGF-II concentrations, a response probably related to a reduction in total plasma IGF binding protein (IGFBP), especially IGFBP-3, concentrations. We conclude that although the guinea pig is responsive to IGF treatment, the effects differ markedly from those elicited in rats.

Journal of Endocrinology (1995) 146, 247–253