Effect of growth hormone or chromium picolinate on swine metabolism and inflammatory cytokine production after endotoxin challenge exposure

Abstract

Objective-To determine whether recombinant porcine somatotropin (PST) or chromium picolinate (CrP) affected cytokine production and metabolism in swine after endotoxin challenge exposure. Animals-20 Poland China x Landrace pigs, 5/group. Procedure-Pigs were given CrP-supplemented feed at body weight of 20 kg; PST treatment began at 60 kg, and both treatments continued through body weight of 90 kg. At 90 kg. pigs were challenge exposed with 20 μg of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/kg of body weight. Blood samples were obtained at various times through 24 hours after LPS challenge exposure. Results-In all pigs not given PST, glucose concentration decreased 2 to 4 hours after LPS. In PST-treated pigs, blood glucose concentration was decreased at 6 to 8 hours after LPS. Plasma insulin concentration paralleled changes in glucose concentration. Nonesterified fatty acid concentration was high 2 to 24 hours after LPS in pigs not given PST and at 6 to 24 h in PST-treated pigs. Plasma urea nitrogen concentration was high at 6 to 24 hours after LPS in pigs not given PST. The urea nitrogen values in PST-treated pigs were lower at all times. Serum aspartate transaminase activity was high 6 to 24 hours after LPS in pigs not given PST, whereas PST treatment prevented the increase in this enzyme activity. In untreated (PST) pigs, plasma bilirubin (total and direct) concentrations were high 4 to 8 hours after LPS and returned to normal at 24 hours. The PST- and CrP-treated pigs maintained normal plasma bilirubin concentrations. Interleukin 6 activity was unaffected by CrP and PST treatments. Treatment with CrP and PST decreased the tumor necrosis factor α response to LPS, compared with that in control pigs. Conclusions-PST, and to a lesser extent CrP, provide protection against the adverse metabolic effects of LPS-induced septic shock.