EFFECT OF GROWTH-HORMONE OR CHROMIUM PICOLINATE ON SWINE METABOLISM AND INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINE PRODUCTION AFTER ENDOTOXIN CHALLENGE EXPOSURE

Objective-To determine whether recombinant porcine somatotropin (PST) or chromium picolinate (CrP) affected cytokine production and metaboli sm in swine after endotoxin challenge exposure. Animals-20 Poland Chin a 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 mu g 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, gluc ose concentration decreased 2 to 4 hours after LPS. In PST-treated pig s, blood glucose concentration was decreased at 6 to 8 hours after LPS . Plasma insulin concentration paralleled changes in glucose concentra tion. Nonesterified fatty acid concentration was high 2 to 24 hours af ter IFS in pigs not given PST and at 6 to 24 h in PST-treated pigs. Pl asma urea nitrogen concentration was high at 6 to 24 hours after LPS i n pigs not given PST. The urea nitrogen values in PST-treated pigs wer e lower at ail times. Serum aspartate transaminase activity was high 6 to 24 hours after LPS in pigs not given PST, whereas PST treatment pr evented the increase in this enzyme activity. In untreated (PST) pigs, plasma bilirubin (total and direct) concentrations were high 4 to 8 h ours after LPS and returned to normal at 24 hours. The PST- and CrP-tr eated pigs maintained normal plasma bilirubin concentrations. interleu kin 6 activity was unaffected by CrP and PST treatments. Treatment wit h CrP and PST decreased the tumor necrosis factor alpha response to IF S, compared with that in control pigs. Conclusions-PST, and to a lesse r extent CrP, provide protection against the adverse metabolic effects of LPS-induced septic shock.