Levels of immunoreactive insulin, neurotensin, and bombesin in porcine colostrum and milk.
High concentrations of insulin (411 +/- 214 microU/ml), neurotensin-like (265 +/- 72 pg/ml), and bombesin-like immunoreactivities (1995 +/- 288 pg/ml) were detected in porcine colostrum using radioimmunoassay, as compared to the levels found in sow blood serum at farrowing (5 microU/ml, less than 12 pg/ml, and 17 pg/ml, respectively). After 72 h of lactation, the levels of insulin and neurotensin-like immunoreactivities had decreased to 28 +/- 17 microU/ml and 89 +/- 23 pg/ml, respectively, while the bombesin-like activity remained constant. Characterization with reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography showed that the insulin immunoreactivity eluted at the same position as the insulin standard, while the elution patterns of the neurotensin-like and bombesin-like immunoreactivities (eluted in three separate peaks) did not correspond to that of their respective standards. The biological function of the peptide hormones in colostrum/milk may be as triggers of the developmental changes taking place in the nursing neonate, especially in the gastrointestinal tract.
Weström
B R
BR
Department of Zoophysiology, University of Lund, Sweden.
Ekman
R
R
Svendsen
L
L
Svendsen
J
J
Karlsson
B W
BW
D000818:Animals; D001839:Bombesin / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003126:Colostrum / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D008892:Milk / Q000378:metabolism*; D009496:Neurotensin / Q000378:metabolism*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013552:Swine
D007328:Insulin; D009496:Neurotensin; D001839:Bombesin