ABSTRACT

Evidence is accumulating that adrenal steroids may be involved in the metabolic effects of cytokines. We evaluated the possible involvement of glucocorticoids in the inhibition of pancreatic insulin secretion by interleukin-1β (IL-1β), one of the cytokines produced by inflammatory cells. In the first group of experiments, adrenalectomized rats showed a significant reduction in basal and glucose (0·5 g/kg, i.v.)-stimulated immunoreactive insulin (IRI) levels after injection of IL-1β (1·0 μg/kg), but intact rats did not. Pretreatment with IL-1β increased plasma glucose levels 2 and 15 min after an i.v. bolus of glucose in adrenalectomized rats. In the second group of experiments, dexamethasone supplement (0·1 mg/kg) given to adrenalectomized rats cancelled the reduction in plasma glucose levels by IL-1β, and rats treated with 1·0 mg dexamethasone/kg showed a significant increase in basal IRI levels and enhanced serum IRI levels after IL-1β injection. However, 1·0 mg deoxycorticosterone/kg given daily for 7 days failed to cancel the effect of IL-1β on the reduction of serum IRI levels, although it attenuated the weight loss after adrenalectomy. The data suggested that withdrawal of glucocorticoids after adrenalectomy potentiates the effect of IL-1β on the reduction of serum IRI levels. Glucocorticoids may have a protective action against the reduction of serum IRI levels by IL-1β.

Journal of Endocrinology (1992) 132, 419–423

Leptin suppresses food intake and increases energy expenditure in the hypothalamus. Rats consume most of their daily food intake during the dark phase of the diurnal cycle. Lactating rats have increased food intake, but the involvement of leptin in the regulation of food intake in this physiological condition is not well understood. The present experiment was carried out to determine the circadian pattern of leptin concentrations in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in relation to the feeding behavior of non-lactating and lactating rats.Female rats were maintained on a controlled lighting schedule (lights on between 0600 and 1800 h) and the food intake of lactating rats was two- or threefold higher than that of non-lactating rats. In both groups, food intake was three times greater in the dark phase (P<0.01) compared with the light phase. The plasma concentrations of leptin were lower (P<0.01) in lactating rats than non-lactating rats in both light and dark phases, but there were no differences in plasma leptin levels between light and dark phases. In contrast, and in both groups, the leptin concentrations in CSF were lower (P<0.01) in the dark phase than in the light phase. Leptin levels in CSF were lower (P<0.01) in lactating rats than in non-lactating rats. We conclude that a diurnal pattern of leptin levels within the brain (but not in plasma) reflects characteristics of feeding behavior in lactating and non-lactating rats.

Changes in plasma concentrations of GH and insulin in response to feeding and stimulation with GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) or GH-releasing peptide (GHRP-6, a ligand for endogenous GH secretagogue receptors) were compared between 3-week-old (milk-fed) and 12-week-old (concentrate and hay-fed) calves. Feeding of a milk-replacer diet in 3-week-old animals significantly increased the basal (prefeeding) concentrations of GH, insulin and glucose in plasma, whereas feeding of concentrate and hay in 12-week-old animals did not cause a significant change in these traits. However, in the animals maintained on a milk-replacer diet until 12 weeks of age, postprandial plasma GH concentrations and AUC (area under the curve) were not different from those in the age-matched weaned group. The venous injection of either GHRH (0.25 μg/kg) or GHRP-6 (2.5 μg/kg) significantly increased plasma GH concentrations in both 3- and 12-week-old animals, but GH AUC was significantly greater in 3-week-old than in 12-week-old animals. Insulin concentration was transiently but significantly increased by the injection of GHRP-6 only in 12-week-old animals, the AUC being greater in 12-week-old than 3-week-old animals. From these results, we conclude that postprandial levels of plasma GH and insulin concentrations are altered after weaning and by aging, and that the quality of diets or development of the neuroendocrine functions in the digestive–pituitary system may be involved in this alteration.

In order to assess the biological significance of weaning and water deprivation on the control of plasma concentrations of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, growth hormone (GH) and metabolites in response to stimulation with arginine-vasopressin (AVP) and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), we carried out three experiments in which male goats before and after weaning were intravenously injected with AVP or CRH alone, or in combination with each other. In experiment 1, 17-week-old (post-weaning) goats were intravenously injected with AVP or CRH alone at the doses of 0.1, 0.3 and 1.0 nmol/kg body weight (BW). The AVP injection significantly and dose dependently increased plasma levels of ACTH, cortisol, GH and metabolites, whereas the injection with CRH did not cause significant increases in the levels of these parameters. In experiment 2, 4-week-old (pre-weaning) and 13-week-old (post-weaning) goats were injected with either AVP or CRH alone, followed by a combined injection of both secretagogues at a dose of 0.3 nmol/kg BW. Although the basal levels of the hormones and metabolites, with the exception of glucose, were greater in the 4-week-old goats, the hormone responses induced by stimulation with AVP were weaker than those induced in 13-week-old goats. Additionally, there were no responses in any hormone patterns to CRH stimulation in 4-week-old goats. In experiment 3, 13-week-old goats were injected with CRH alone followed by injection with AVP for two consecutive days of water deprivation. The animals were subjected to withdrawal of up to 20% of the total blood volume and water deprivation for up to 28 h. However, no significant differences in plasma ACTH, cortisol or GH levels were observed between days 1 and 2. Based on these results, we concluded that: (1) AVP is a more potent stimulant than CRH in terms of its ability to induce increases in plasma levels of ACTH, cortisol and GH; (2) the role of AVP as a secretagogue of hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal hormones is strengthened, whereas the ineffective role of CRH remains unaltered, by weaning; (3) acute stress such as massive withdrawal of blood volume and subjection to water deprivation may not be sufficient burdens to alter stress-related hormone levels in young goats.

Postprandial changes in plasma concentrations of GH, insulin, IGF-I, leptin and metabolites were compared between young Holstein bull calves fed with milk alone (control group) and with milk+5′-uridylic acid (UMP) (UMP group). UMP (2 g/day) was given with milk at 0830 h and 1530 h for 11 days from the 4th to the 14th day after birth. The perirenal fat weight was significantly lower in the UMP group than in the control group, but there was no significant difference in the weights of the liver, spleen and heart between the groups. Basal GH concentrations in the UMP group were slightly higher, but the postprandial increase in plasma insulin level and the area under the curve for insulin in the UMP group were significantly lower than those in the control group. There was no significant difference in IGF-I levels between the groups. In addition, the postprandial glucose concentrations were lower in the UMP group as reflected by the insulin level, and nonesterified fatty acid concentrations were not different. In the muscle (M. longissimus thoracis) sampled at 14 days of age, the triacylglycerol (TAG) content was significantly greater but glycogen content was significantly lower in the UMP group than in the control group. From these results, we have concluded that feeding 5′-UMP at 2 g/day for 11 days significantly alters TAG accumulation in the body and plasma concentrations of GH and insulin in young bull calves.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of physiologic levels of ghrelin on insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity (glucose disposal) in scheduled fed-sheep, using the hyperglycemic clamp and hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp respectively. Twelve castrated Suffolk rams (69.8 ± 0.6 kg) were conditioned to be fed alfalfa hay cubes (2% of body weight) once a day. Three hours after the feeding, synthetic ovine ghrelin was intravenously administered to the animals at a rate of 0.025 and 0.05 μg/kg body weight (BW) per min for 3 h. Concomitantly, the hyperglycemic clamp or the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp was carried out. In the hyperglycemic clamp, a target glucose concentration was clamped at 100 mg/100 ml above the initial level. In the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp, insulin was intravenously administered to the animals for 3 h at a rate of 2 mU/kg BW per min. Basal glucose concentrations (44± 1 mg/dl) were maintained by variably infusing 100 mg/dl glucose solution. In both clamps, plasma ghrelin concentrations were dose-dependently elevated and maintained at a constant level within the physiologic range. Ghrelin infusions induced a significant (ANOVA; P < 0.01) increase in plasma GH concentrations. In the hyperglycemic clamp, plasma insulin levels were increased by glucose infusion and were significantly (P < 0.05) greater in ghrelin-infused animals. In the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp, glucose infusion rate, an index of insulin sensitivity, was not affected by ghrelin infusion. In conclusion, the present study has demonstrated for the first time that ghrelin enhances glucose-induced insulin secretion in the ruminant animal.

ABSTRACT

Prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) is a primary luteolysin in the cow. Although the mechanisms involved in luteolysis are thought to be a complex of its direct action on luteal cells and indirect effect on luteal blood flow, the detailed mechanisms remain to be elucidated. This study focuses on the possible interaction of endothelial cells-derived endothelin-1 (ET-1) with PGF2α in the rapid suppression of progesterone release from the bovine corpus luteum (CL). In in vitro microdialysis system (MDS) of CL, PGF2α acutely stimulated the release of progesterone and oxytocin during infusion and ET-1 release after infusion. Moreover, PGF2α induced slight decrease of progesterone release during the last period of the experiment (8-11 h after PGF2α exposure). Two 1 h-perfusions of ET-1 at 3 h intervals induced only a slight decrease of progesterone release after the second perfusion. This treatment also affected the oxytocin release; the first ET-1 perfusion produced an acute stimulation, whereas the second ET-1 perfusion inhibited the release to below 50%. When the CL pieces were pre-perfused with PGF2α for 2 h, the two consecutive perfusion of ET-1 at 3 h intervals induced drastic decrease in progesterone and oxytocin release only after the second ET-1 perfusion. Thus, a pre-exposure with PGF2α clearly potentiated the inhibiting activity of ET-1 in the progesterone release. These results suggest a physiological impact of PGF2α and ET-1 in the rapid cascade of functional luteolysis in vivo, and a possible interaction between endothelial cells and luteal cells.

Ghrelin is a multifunctional peptide that promotes an increase of food intake and stimulates GH secretion. Ghrelin secretion is regulated by nutritional status and nutrients. Although a high-protein (HP) diet increases plasma ghrelin secretion in mammals, the mechanisms and the roles of the elevated ghrelin concentrations due to a HP diet have not been fully established. To clarify the roles of elevated acylated ghrelin upon intake of a HP diet, we investigated the regulation of ghrelin concentrations in plasma and tissues in wethers fed with either the HP diet or the control (CNT) diet for 14 days, and examined the action of the elevated plasma ghrelin by using a ghrelin-receptor antagonist. The HP diet gradually increased the plasma acylated-ghrelin concentrations, but the CNT diet did not. Although the GH concentrations did not vary significantly across the groups, an injection of ghrelin-receptor antagonist enhanced insulin levels in circulation in the HP diet group. In the fundus region of the stomach, the ghrelin levels did not differ between the HP and CNT diet groups, whereas ghrelin O-acyltransferase mRNA levels were higher in the group fed with HP diet than those of the CNT diet group were. These results indicate that the HP diet elevated the plasma ghrelin levels by increasing its synthesis; this elevation strongly suppresses the appearance of insulin in the circulation of wethers, but it is not involved in GH secretion. Overall, our findings indicate a role of endogenous ghrelin action in secretion of insulin, which acts as a regulator after the consumption of a HP diet.

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) concentrations are increased in patients with diabetes mellitus, particularly those with diabetic retinopathy, or essential hypertension. We hypothesized that ET-1 might participate in the development and progression of diabetic microangiopathy. In this study, the effects of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, enalapril maleate, on diabetic angiopathy were examined in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic (STZ-DM) rats by monitoring variations in renal function and ET-1 concentrations in blood and organ tissues. Significant increases in kidney weight and in concentrations of urinary albumin, N-acetyl-fl-d-glucosamidase (NAG) and serum ET-1 were observed in the STZ-DM rats as compared with the non-diabetic rats, and the concentration of ET-1 in the kidneys tended to be increased. Microscopic and electron microscopic analyses showed increased mesangial cell proliferation, matrix expansion and enlarged mesangial area in the kidney of the diabetic rats. After administration of the ACE inhibitor, increased concentrations of urinary albumin and NAG in the STZ-DM rats were reduced to the control values with a slight improvement in the electron microscopic changes. These data suggest that ET-1 may be involved in the development and progression of diabetic nephropathy and may explain, in part, why diabetes is liable to complicate hypertension. ACE inhibitor may help to restore diabetic nephropathy in the STZ-induced diabetic rats.

ABSTRACT

Monoclonal antibodies (McAb) and polyclonal antibodies (PcAb) against human insulin-like growth factor-I (somatomedin C; hIGF-I) were produced. Using these two antibodies, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system for hIGF-I was established. The ELISA system was able to detect hIGF-I at a range of 1–25 μg/l, compared with the range of 1–50 μg/l detected by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Human IGF-II and human insulin could not be recognized in this system. The plasma concentrations of IGF-I found using the ELISA agreed well with those found using RIA after conventional Sep-Pak C₁₈ cartridge pretreatment. Epitopes of hIGF-I to McAb and PcAb were investigated by enzymatic digestion of hIGF-I followed by comparing the affinity of the antibodies to the peptides obtained proteolytically. The epitope to McAb was found to be a peptide containing Leu¹⁰-Val¹¹-Asp¹² (epitope 2). Five epitopes to PcAb containing the following key fragments were identified: a conformational structure formed by the disulphide bonds between Cys⁶ and Cys⁴⁸, and between Cys⁴⁷ and Cys⁵² (epitope 1), Leu¹⁰-Val¹¹-Asp¹² (epitope 2), Val¹⁷-Cys¹⁸-Gly¹⁹-Asp²⁰ (epitope 3), Arg²¹-Gly²²-Phe²³-Tyr²⁴ (epitope 4) and Lys⁶⁸-Ser⁶⁹-Ala⁷⁰ (epitope 5). Of these, the peptide containing epitope 5 showed the highest affinity to PcAb. The results indicated that our ELISA system combined recognition by epitope 2 of McAb and recognition by epitope 5 of PcAb to obtain its good specificity.

Journal of Endocrinology (1990) 125, 327–335