Björkman, u., R. Ekholm, L.G. Elmqvist, L.E. Ericson, A. Melander, S. Smeds: Induced unidirectional transport of protein into the thyroid follicular lumen. Endocrinology 95: 1506-1517 (1974) Buchanan, D.L.: Total carbon turnover measured by feeding a uniformly labeled diet. Arch.Biochem.Biophys. 94: 500-511 (1961) Dumont, I.E.: The action of thyrotropin on thyroid metabolism. Vitamins and Hormones 29: 287-412 (1971) Dunker, A.K., R.R. Rueckert: Observations on molecular weight determinations on polyacrylamide gel. J.Bio!.Chem. 244: 5074-5080 (1969) Ekholm, R., G. Engström, L.E. Ericson, A. Melander: Endocrinology (in press) Feeney, L., S.L. Wissig: A biochemical and radioautographie analysis of protein secretion by thyroid lobes incubated in vitro. J.Cell Bio!. 53: 510-522 (1972) Krebs, H.A., K. Henseleit: Untersuchungen über die Harnstoffbildung im Tierkörper. Z.PhysioI.Chem. 210: 33-66 (1932) Lecocq, R.E., I.E. Dumont: Stimulation by thyrotropin of aminoacid incorporation into pro teins in dog thyroid slices in vitro. Biochem.Biophys.Acta 281: 434-441 (1972) Morgan, I.F., H.l. Morton, R.e. Parker: Nutrition of animal cells in tissue culture: initial studies on a synthetic medium. Proceed.Soc.Exptl.Biol. 73: 1-8 (1950) Offen, I., M. lonckheer, I.E. Dumont: In vitro synthesis of a thyroid albumin by normal human thyroid tissue. J.Clinicai Endocr. 32: 18-26 (1971)
145
Pisarev, M.A., L.J. Degroot, I.F. Wilber: Cvclic-AMP prod'-tc_ tion of goiter. Endocrinology 87: 339-342 (1970) Rhoads, R.E., G.S. Me Knight, R. T. Schimke: Quantitative measurement of ovalbumin messenger ribonucleic acid activity. J.Biol.Chem. 248: 2031-2039 (1973) Schimke, R. T.: The importance of both synthesis and degradation in the control of arginase levels in rat liver. J .Bio!. Chem. 239: 3808-3817 (1964) Schoenheimer, R.: The dynamic state of body constituents. Hafner publishing company, London. Harvard Univ. Press, Cambridge, Massachussetts (1942) Seed, R. W., I.H. Goldberg: Biosynthesis of thyroglobulin. J.BioI.Chem. 240: 764-773 (1965) Siekevitz, P.: Uptake of radioactive alanine in vitro into the proteins of rat liver fractions. J.BioI.Chem. 195: 549565 (1952) Swick, R. Wo: Measurement of pro tein turnover in rat liver. J.BioI.Chem. 231: 751-764 (1958) Vandenbroucke, M.F., A. Denayer, I.P. Herveg, M. De Visscher: Thyroglobulin uptake by pig thyroid slices. Endocrinology 88: 389-399 (1971) Vassart, G_, R.E. Lecocq, H. Brocas, J.E. Dumont: Translation in xenopus oocyte of messenger RNA coding for a beef heavy-chain thyroglobulin. Biochim.Biophys.Acta 353: 261-265 (1974) Wägar, G., R. Ekholm, U. Björkman: Action of thyrotropin (TSH) on thyroid pro tein synthesis in vive and in vitro. Acta Endocrinol. 72: 453-463 (1973) Wettstein, F.O., T. Staehelin, H. NolI: Ribosomal aggregate engaged in pro tein synthesis: characterization of the ergosome. Nature 197: 430-435 (1963)
Requests for reprints should be addressed to: Miss Christiane Dinsart, Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire, School of Medicine, Free University of Brussels, Rue Evers, 2, B-I000 Brussels (Belgium)
Horm. Metab. Res. 8 (1976)145-149
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart
Effect of Glucose on Adrenocortical Activity of Newborn Piglets M. Dvofak and J. Raszyk Veterinary Research Institute, Brno. Czechoslovakia
Summary Adrenocortical function was followed in newborn piglets fasted for 36 hours and in piglets given only glucose or glucoplastic amino acids during this period. The greatest increase in relative adrenal weight, blood plasma 17-hydroxycorticosteroid (17-0HCS) levels and in the production of 17-0HCS by pig adrenals in vitro as compared with suckled controls was found in fasted piglets followed by amino acid-treated animals. The latter showed no significant differences in blood glucose between the initial and final values. The administration of glucose produced a transient hyperglycemia, failed to prevent the inhibition of body growth, resulted in a reduction in liver weight similar to that seen in fasted animals, and had a marked suppressive effect on the elevation of adrenocortical function. There were no significant differences in the production of 17-0HCS by adrenals in vitro per kg body weight between the glucose-treated and suckled piglets. Received: 30 Apr. 1975
Accepted: 3 Nov. 1975
Key-Words: Adrenal - 17-Hydroxycorticosteroids - Eosinophil Granulocytes - Glycaemia - Glucoplastic Amino Acids - Fasting
Introduction Adrenocortical function can be influenced by diet as reported by Lamming (1966) andRaszyk (1975). While there is much information on the effects of glucocorticoids on carbohydrate metabolism, considerably fewer data are available regarding the reverse relationships. Glatzel and Hackenberg (1967) reported that humans on a diet high in starch or sugar and low in fat excreted lower 17-hydroxycorticosteroid (l7-0HCS) levels in the urine than subjects on a high protein or high fat diet; no unequivocal differences were found
Downloaded by: Universite de Sherbrooke. Copyrighted material.
Effect of Glucose on Adrenocortical Activity of Newborn Piglets
M. Dvolak and J. Raszyk
in the plasma 17-0HCS levels. Yudkin and Szanto (1972) on the other hand, reported that subjects on a high sucrose diet showed a marked increase in 17OHCS levels in fasting blood. Prolonged feeding of sucrose to rats produced a rise in adrenal weight (Griffaton, Dumitrache, Brigant, Rozen and Lowy 1973). Blood plasma corticosterone levels decreased more and at a higher rate in rats fed glucose diet than in those given fructose du ring 5 hours after administration (Bruckdorfer, Kang, Yudkin 1973). After 30 days fee ding, however, there were no significant differences in corticosterone concentration between the fructose-fed and glucose-fed rats as assessed by measurements throughout a 24-hour period, but the corticosterone concentrations were slightly higher in the rats fed sucrose than in those fed starch (Bruckdorfer, Kang, Khan, Bourne and Yudkin 1974). Even intravenous or oral administration of glucose (Aitken and Dunningan 1969, Jensen and Toft 1972, Rodman and Bleicher 1973) failed to provide unequivocal evidence for its either sUppressive or stimulatory action. The object of the present study was to investigate the effect of glucose, administered either directly or in the form of glucoplastic amino acids, on adrenocortical activity in newborn piglets. In a previous study the adrenocortical activity of newborn piglets was high even in the resting state (DvoWzk 1972a) and rose further du ring starvation, increasing at a considerably higher rate than in older animals (Dvofrik 1973). Materials and Methods Large white piglets from 3 litters were employed. They were divided into four groups of 7-9 animals each. Three groups of piglets (F, A and G) had been separated from their dams at 4 to 20 hours after birth and kept in cages at 25 0 C ambient temperature. Group F was fasted and thirsted, Group A received glucoplastic amino acids, and Group G was given glucose. Tbe remaining animals were left on the sows and are referred to as Group S. The amino acids employed consisted of a mixture of L-glutamic acid (35%), glycine (35%), L-proline (17%), L-arginine (7%) and L-threonine (6%) administered as a 10 per cent saline solution, with the L-glutamic acid being partly in suspension. Glucose was also administered as a 10 per cent saline solution. Both amino acids and glucose were given in the same amounts computed to meet the basal energy requirements for 24 hours, i.e. at the rate of 293 kJ/kg/day; they were administered by gavage in 5 separate doses at 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 hours after the start of the experiment.
termined by the Porter-Silber reaction as described previousIy (Dvo'lak 1967). The production of 17-OHCS in vitro on stimulation of adrenal sections with adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) added to the incubation medium was assessed by a method previously described (Dvo'lak 1972b). Tbe significance of the differences of the means was assessed by Student's t-test.
Results Ouring the first 12 hours of night rest, the blood glucose levels of all three groups separated from the sows declined about 30 per cent as compared to the initial values. The blood glucose level of piglets receiving amino acids then rose steadily during the next 24 hours and was not statistically different from the initial value at the end of the experiment (Table 1). Significant (p < 0.01 or 0.05) differences from suckled, glucose-treated and fasted animals were recorded beginning 12, 15 and 36 hours after the start of the experiment, respectively. In contrast, the glucose-treated piglets developed a transient hyperglycemia followed by a fall in blood glucose to a level that was onIy insignificantly different from that found in the fasted group at the end of the experiment.
Downloaded by: Universite de Sherbrooke. Copyrighted material.
146
The differences between the groups are also reflected in the changes in body weight (Fig. 1). Piglets receiving amino acids showed reductions in body weight similar to those found in the fasted animals. A slight decrease in body weight was also found in some glucose-treated piglets, particularly in those whose hyperglycemia exceeded 11 mmol/l at 3 hours after glucose administration; the highest weight gain in this group was found in the animal whose glycemia was less than 4 mmol/l beginning the 18th hour and was the highest at the end of the experiment.
Circulating eosinophil counts were reduced more than 50 per cent as against the preceding values beginning the 18th hour in all piglets except the suckled group. The fasted and amino acid-treated piglets continued at this rate of decrease till the end of the observation period, whereas in the glucose-treated group the final reduction in eosinophil counts was only 42 per cent of the initial level (Fig. 1).
Relative adrenal weight changed similarly to the hematological indicator of adrenocortical activity. I t was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in fasted and amino acid-treated piglets than in suckled and glucosetreated animals. There were no significant differences Tbe experiment lasted 36 ho urs, beginning at 7 p.m. on day 1 and ending at 7 a.m. on day 3. During the experiment, de- in actual adrenal weight (Fig. 2). A marked reduction terminations were made of blood glucose changes by the glu- in actual liver weight was found in fasted piglets as cose oxidase method using the Fermognost test (VEB Arzweil as in the groups receiving amino acids or glucose. neimittelwerk, Dresden) and of eosinophil granulocyte counts The reduction in relative liver weight was significantin the peripheral blood according to Piralishvili (1962) using Iy (p < 0.05) lower in piglets receiving amino acids blood collections from the ear vein. At the end of the experiment the animals were weighed, blood-sampled from the than in glucose-treated animals (Fig. 2). vena cava cranialis and killed by decapitation, and determinations were made of their liver and adrenal weight. Tbe concentration of free 17-0HCS in the blood plasma was de-
Judged by direct indicators of adrenocortical activity, the highest increase in the activity occurred in the
147
Effect of Glucose on Adrenocortica1 Activity of Newborn Piglets
Table 1. Blood glucose in mmol/I during a 36 hours period in fasted piglets (F), in piglets given only amino acids (A) or glucose (G) at 12-24 hours and in piglets suckled by the sow (S) (Means ± S.D.) Group of piglets Hours
F
A
2.89 ± 0.67 2.22 ± 0.51 S 2.55 ± 0.89 S,G 2.61 ± 0.60 S,G 2.39 ± 0.94 S,G 2.05 ± 0.48 S,A
0 12 15 18 24 36
G
4.11 ± 0.89 2.44 ± 0.48 S 3.16 ± 0.38 s,g 3.33 ± 0.85 s,g 3.55 ± 1.08 S,G 3.66 ± 0.53 S,F,G
4.05 ± 0.79 2.66 ± 0.59 S 9.89 ± 3.03 S,A,F 9.78 ± 4.80 S,A,F 10.84 ± 4.73 S,A,F 2.39 ± 0.43 S,A
S 4.05 ± 1.03 3.94 ± 0.82 A,G,F 4.11 ± 0.99 G,a 4.61 ± 1.17 G,F,a 5.50 ± 1.04 A,G,F 5.22 ± 0.91 A,G,F
0 .>
0
.~
0,8
~
120
f
...
~
0,4
100
E
...0
40
32
30
24
.S
... ..t:.
18
.~
f
...
12
.~
1>0
20
.>
0
10
8
o
w
o
6
o F A G S
o F
A
G
s
Fig. 1. Upper. Initial and final (hatched bars) body weight of fasted piglets (F), piglets given amino acids (A) or glucose (G), and suckled piglets (S). (Means ± S.D.) Lower. Initial and final (hatched bars) eosinophil granulocyte counts in the peripheral blood of the same animals. (Means ± S.D.)
F A
G
5
Fig. 2. Upper. Actual and relative adrenal weight of piglets after fasting (F), administration of amino acids (A) or glucose (G) and in suckled piglets (S). (Means ± S.D.) Lower. Actual and relative liver weight of the same animals. (Means ± S.D.)
suckled controls was shown by the group of animals receiving glucoplastic amino acids. The blood plasma 17-0HCS levels of glucose-treated piglets, though also different from those of the suckled animals, showed a highly significant difference from both the fasted fasted piglets, being indicated particularly by marked and amino acid-treated groups; the production of 17increases in plasma 17-0HCS level and in the produc- OHCS by adrenals in vitro differed more from the tion of 17-0HCS by adrenal glands in vitro per kg fasted than from the suckled piglets. Calculated per body weight (Table 2). A similar rise as against the
Downloaded by: Universite de Sherbrooke. Copyrighted material.
F, A, G, S - Difference from the indicated group highly significant (p 0.01) f, a, g, s - Difference from the indicated group significant (p 0.05)
148
M. Dvo13k and J. Raszyk
Table 2. Blood plasma 17-hydroxycorticosteroid (l7-OHCS) levels and production of 17-0HCS by adrenals in vitra in pg per 100 mg adrenal and per kg body weight in piglets after fasting, administration of amino acids or glucose and in suckled animals (means ± S.D.) 17-0HCS nmol/l plasma
F, A, G, S f, a, g, s
-
2.423 2.346 1.407 952
± 331 G, S ± 414G, S ± 303 F , A, s ± 298 F , A, g
32.1 27.4 28.4 25.7
± 6.1 s ± 5.9 ± 8.0 ± 4.5 f
17-OHCS in vitro pg/kg body weight 58.2 50.1 39.9 37.8
± 14.45 , g ± 10.6s ± 12.5 f ± 5.8F, a
145
Pisarev, M.A., L.J. Degroot, I.F. Wilber: Cvclic-AMP prod'-tc_ tion of goiter. Endocrinology 87: 339-342 (1970) Rhoads, R.E., G.S. Me Knight, R. T. Schimke: Quantitative measurement of ovalbumin messenger ribonucleic acid activity. J.Biol.Chem. 248: 2031-2039 (1973) Schimke, R. T.: The importance of both synthesis and degradation in the control of arginase levels in rat liver. J .Bio!. Chem. 239: 3808-3817 (1964) Schoenheimer, R.: The dynamic state of body constituents. Hafner publishing company, London. Harvard Univ. Press, Cambridge, Massachussetts (1942) Seed, R. W., I.H. Goldberg: Biosynthesis of thyroglobulin. J.BioI.Chem. 240: 764-773 (1965) Siekevitz, P.: Uptake of radioactive alanine in vitro into the proteins of rat liver fractions. J.BioI.Chem. 195: 549565 (1952) Swick, R. Wo: Measurement of pro tein turnover in rat liver. J.BioI.Chem. 231: 751-764 (1958) Vandenbroucke, M.F., A. Denayer, I.P. Herveg, M. De Visscher: Thyroglobulin uptake by pig thyroid slices. Endocrinology 88: 389-399 (1971) Vassart, G_, R.E. Lecocq, H. Brocas, J.E. Dumont: Translation in xenopus oocyte of messenger RNA coding for a beef heavy-chain thyroglobulin. Biochim.Biophys.Acta 353: 261-265 (1974) Wägar, G., R. Ekholm, U. Björkman: Action of thyrotropin (TSH) on thyroid pro tein synthesis in vive and in vitro. Acta Endocrinol. 72: 453-463 (1973) Wettstein, F.O., T. Staehelin, H. NolI: Ribosomal aggregate engaged in pro tein synthesis: characterization of the ergosome. Nature 197: 430-435 (1963)
Requests for reprints should be addressed to: Miss Christiane Dinsart, Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire, School of Medicine, Free University of Brussels, Rue Evers, 2, B-I000 Brussels (Belgium)
Horm. Metab. Res. 8 (1976)145-149
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart
Effect of Glucose on Adrenocortical Activity of Newborn Piglets M. Dvofak and J. Raszyk Veterinary Research Institute, Brno. Czechoslovakia
Summary Adrenocortical function was followed in newborn piglets fasted for 36 hours and in piglets given only glucose or glucoplastic amino acids during this period. The greatest increase in relative adrenal weight, blood plasma 17-hydroxycorticosteroid (17-0HCS) levels and in the production of 17-0HCS by pig adrenals in vitro as compared with suckled controls was found in fasted piglets followed by amino acid-treated animals. The latter showed no significant differences in blood glucose between the initial and final values. The administration of glucose produced a transient hyperglycemia, failed to prevent the inhibition of body growth, resulted in a reduction in liver weight similar to that seen in fasted animals, and had a marked suppressive effect on the elevation of adrenocortical function. There were no significant differences in the production of 17-0HCS by adrenals in vitro per kg body weight between the glucose-treated and suckled piglets. Received: 30 Apr. 1975
Accepted: 3 Nov. 1975
Key-Words: Adrenal - 17-Hydroxycorticosteroids - Eosinophil Granulocytes - Glycaemia - Glucoplastic Amino Acids - Fasting
Introduction Adrenocortical function can be influenced by diet as reported by Lamming (1966) andRaszyk (1975). While there is much information on the effects of glucocorticoids on carbohydrate metabolism, considerably fewer data are available regarding the reverse relationships. Glatzel and Hackenberg (1967) reported that humans on a diet high in starch or sugar and low in fat excreted lower 17-hydroxycorticosteroid (l7-0HCS) levels in the urine than subjects on a high protein or high fat diet; no unequivocal differences were found
Downloaded by: Universite de Sherbrooke. Copyrighted material.
Effect of Glucose on Adrenocortical Activity of Newborn Piglets
M. Dvolak and J. Raszyk
in the plasma 17-0HCS levels. Yudkin and Szanto (1972) on the other hand, reported that subjects on a high sucrose diet showed a marked increase in 17OHCS levels in fasting blood. Prolonged feeding of sucrose to rats produced a rise in adrenal weight (Griffaton, Dumitrache, Brigant, Rozen and Lowy 1973). Blood plasma corticosterone levels decreased more and at a higher rate in rats fed glucose diet than in those given fructose du ring 5 hours after administration (Bruckdorfer, Kang, Yudkin 1973). After 30 days fee ding, however, there were no significant differences in corticosterone concentration between the fructose-fed and glucose-fed rats as assessed by measurements throughout a 24-hour period, but the corticosterone concentrations were slightly higher in the rats fed sucrose than in those fed starch (Bruckdorfer, Kang, Khan, Bourne and Yudkin 1974). Even intravenous or oral administration of glucose (Aitken and Dunningan 1969, Jensen and Toft 1972, Rodman and Bleicher 1973) failed to provide unequivocal evidence for its either sUppressive or stimulatory action. The object of the present study was to investigate the effect of glucose, administered either directly or in the form of glucoplastic amino acids, on adrenocortical activity in newborn piglets. In a previous study the adrenocortical activity of newborn piglets was high even in the resting state (DvoWzk 1972a) and rose further du ring starvation, increasing at a considerably higher rate than in older animals (Dvofrik 1973). Materials and Methods Large white piglets from 3 litters were employed. They were divided into four groups of 7-9 animals each. Three groups of piglets (F, A and G) had been separated from their dams at 4 to 20 hours after birth and kept in cages at 25 0 C ambient temperature. Group F was fasted and thirsted, Group A received glucoplastic amino acids, and Group G was given glucose. Tbe remaining animals were left on the sows and are referred to as Group S. The amino acids employed consisted of a mixture of L-glutamic acid (35%), glycine (35%), L-proline (17%), L-arginine (7%) and L-threonine (6%) administered as a 10 per cent saline solution, with the L-glutamic acid being partly in suspension. Glucose was also administered as a 10 per cent saline solution. Both amino acids and glucose were given in the same amounts computed to meet the basal energy requirements for 24 hours, i.e. at the rate of 293 kJ/kg/day; they were administered by gavage in 5 separate doses at 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 hours after the start of the experiment.
termined by the Porter-Silber reaction as described previousIy (Dvo'lak 1967). The production of 17-OHCS in vitro on stimulation of adrenal sections with adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) added to the incubation medium was assessed by a method previously described (Dvo'lak 1972b). Tbe significance of the differences of the means was assessed by Student's t-test.
Results Ouring the first 12 hours of night rest, the blood glucose levels of all three groups separated from the sows declined about 30 per cent as compared to the initial values. The blood glucose level of piglets receiving amino acids then rose steadily during the next 24 hours and was not statistically different from the initial value at the end of the experiment (Table 1). Significant (p < 0.01 or 0.05) differences from suckled, glucose-treated and fasted animals were recorded beginning 12, 15 and 36 hours after the start of the experiment, respectively. In contrast, the glucose-treated piglets developed a transient hyperglycemia followed by a fall in blood glucose to a level that was onIy insignificantly different from that found in the fasted group at the end of the experiment.
Downloaded by: Universite de Sherbrooke. Copyrighted material.
146
The differences between the groups are also reflected in the changes in body weight (Fig. 1). Piglets receiving amino acids showed reductions in body weight similar to those found in the fasted animals. A slight decrease in body weight was also found in some glucose-treated piglets, particularly in those whose hyperglycemia exceeded 11 mmol/l at 3 hours after glucose administration; the highest weight gain in this group was found in the animal whose glycemia was less than 4 mmol/l beginning the 18th hour and was the highest at the end of the experiment.
Circulating eosinophil counts were reduced more than 50 per cent as against the preceding values beginning the 18th hour in all piglets except the suckled group. The fasted and amino acid-treated piglets continued at this rate of decrease till the end of the observation period, whereas in the glucose-treated group the final reduction in eosinophil counts was only 42 per cent of the initial level (Fig. 1).
Relative adrenal weight changed similarly to the hematological indicator of adrenocortical activity. I t was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in fasted and amino acid-treated piglets than in suckled and glucosetreated animals. There were no significant differences Tbe experiment lasted 36 ho urs, beginning at 7 p.m. on day 1 and ending at 7 a.m. on day 3. During the experiment, de- in actual adrenal weight (Fig. 2). A marked reduction terminations were made of blood glucose changes by the glu- in actual liver weight was found in fasted piglets as cose oxidase method using the Fermognost test (VEB Arzweil as in the groups receiving amino acids or glucose. neimittelwerk, Dresden) and of eosinophil granulocyte counts The reduction in relative liver weight was significantin the peripheral blood according to Piralishvili (1962) using Iy (p < 0.05) lower in piglets receiving amino acids blood collections from the ear vein. At the end of the experiment the animals were weighed, blood-sampled from the than in glucose-treated animals (Fig. 2). vena cava cranialis and killed by decapitation, and determinations were made of their liver and adrenal weight. Tbe concentration of free 17-0HCS in the blood plasma was de-
Judged by direct indicators of adrenocortical activity, the highest increase in the activity occurred in the
147
Effect of Glucose on Adrenocortica1 Activity of Newborn Piglets
Table 1. Blood glucose in mmol/I during a 36 hours period in fasted piglets (F), in piglets given only amino acids (A) or glucose (G) at 12-24 hours and in piglets suckled by the sow (S) (Means ± S.D.) Group of piglets Hours
F
A
2.89 ± 0.67 2.22 ± 0.51 S 2.55 ± 0.89 S,G 2.61 ± 0.60 S,G 2.39 ± 0.94 S,G 2.05 ± 0.48 S,A
0 12 15 18 24 36
G
4.11 ± 0.89 2.44 ± 0.48 S 3.16 ± 0.38 s,g 3.33 ± 0.85 s,g 3.55 ± 1.08 S,G 3.66 ± 0.53 S,F,G
4.05 ± 0.79 2.66 ± 0.59 S 9.89 ± 3.03 S,A,F 9.78 ± 4.80 S,A,F 10.84 ± 4.73 S,A,F 2.39 ± 0.43 S,A
S 4.05 ± 1.03 3.94 ± 0.82 A,G,F 4.11 ± 0.99 G,a 4.61 ± 1.17 G,F,a 5.50 ± 1.04 A,G,F 5.22 ± 0.91 A,G,F
0 .>
0
.~
0,8
~
120
f
...
~
0,4
100
E
...0
40
32
30
24
.S
... ..t:.
18
.~
f
...
12
.~
1>0
20
.>
0
10
8
o
w
o
6
o F A G S
o F
A
G
s
Fig. 1. Upper. Initial and final (hatched bars) body weight of fasted piglets (F), piglets given amino acids (A) or glucose (G), and suckled piglets (S). (Means ± S.D.) Lower. Initial and final (hatched bars) eosinophil granulocyte counts in the peripheral blood of the same animals. (Means ± S.D.)
F A
G
5
Fig. 2. Upper. Actual and relative adrenal weight of piglets after fasting (F), administration of amino acids (A) or glucose (G) and in suckled piglets (S). (Means ± S.D.) Lower. Actual and relative liver weight of the same animals. (Means ± S.D.)
suckled controls was shown by the group of animals receiving glucoplastic amino acids. The blood plasma 17-0HCS levels of glucose-treated piglets, though also different from those of the suckled animals, showed a highly significant difference from both the fasted fasted piglets, being indicated particularly by marked and amino acid-treated groups; the production of 17increases in plasma 17-0HCS level and in the produc- OHCS by adrenals in vitro differed more from the tion of 17-0HCS by adrenal glands in vitro per kg fasted than from the suckled piglets. Calculated per body weight (Table 2). A similar rise as against the
Downloaded by: Universite de Sherbrooke. Copyrighted material.
F, A, G, S - Difference from the indicated group highly significant (p 0.01) f, a, g, s - Difference from the indicated group significant (p 0.05)
148
M. Dvo13k and J. Raszyk
Table 2. Blood plasma 17-hydroxycorticosteroid (l7-OHCS) levels and production of 17-0HCS by adrenals in vitra in pg per 100 mg adrenal and per kg body weight in piglets after fasting, administration of amino acids or glucose and in suckled animals (means ± S.D.) 17-0HCS nmol/l plasma
F, A, G, S f, a, g, s
-
2.423 2.346 1.407 952
± 331 G, S ± 414G, S ± 303 F , A, s ± 298 F , A, g
32.1 27.4 28.4 25.7
± 6.1 s ± 5.9 ± 8.0 ± 4.5 f
17-OHCS in vitro pg/kg body weight 58.2 50.1 39.9 37.8
± 14.45 , g ± 10.6s ± 12.5 f ± 5.8F, a
