Acute effects of growth hormone on metabolism of pancreatic hormones, glucose and ketone bodies

Controversy exists as to whether acute administration of growth hormone has insulin-like effects. In conscious dogs, acute effects on plasma flows, pl asma glucose, hepatic glucose output, free fatty acids, ketone bodies, insu lin, and glucagon were determined following intravenous injection of 1 mg o f growth hormone extracted from the canine pituitary gland. The following r esults were obtained: (1) Plasma flows in the portal vein, hepatic artery a nd hepatic vein were significantly increased 20 min after growth hormone ad ministration. (2) By 40 min after growth hormone, the glucose concentration in these three vessels was significantly increased. (3) Hepatic glucose ou tput was significantly increased 60 min after growth hormone administration . (4) Free fatty acids levels were significantly but transiently increased at 20 min, while ketone body concentrations were elevated at 120-180 min. ( 5) The insulin levels in the three vessels demonstrated a biphasic response . In the portal vein, they were significantly higher 20 min after growth ho rmone and again at 150-180 min. Glucagon concentrations were increased in a ll three vessels by 20 min and remained elevated for the remainder of the e xperiment. These results do not support an acute insulin-like action of gro wth hormone in normal dogs. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All righ ts reserved.