title: Use of the piglet to study the role of growth factors in neonatal intestinal development.
abstract: Milk growth factors are thought to contribute to postnatal gastrointestinal growth. The roles of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in the neonatal piglet intestine were investigated. In the first study, piglets were infected with rotavirus on d 4 postpartum and received formula containing 0, 500 or 1000 micrograms/l of EGF for 8 days. A non-infected control group received no EGF. Infected piglets developed severe diarrhea and gained 60% less weight than controls. Rotaviral infection caused a 37% decrease in villus height and 40% decreases in intestinal enzyme activities compared to control. Oral EGF increased villus height and lactase activity in a linear dose-response fashion. Our results suggest that supplementation of formulas with high physiological levels of EGF may aid in small intestinal recovery. A second study investigated absorption of orally administered IGF-I. Newborn piglets were fitted with catheters via the umbilical artery and vein. Piglets were given formula containing 25 microCi of [125I]-IGF-I and blood samples were drawn for 24O min. Total radioactivity, protein bound counts, and counts immunoprecipitable with an antibody to IGF-I were determined in plasma. Radioactivity was detected in portal and arterial plasma within 15 min and rose throughout the study, however, protein bound counts were stable at 20-30% of total counts between 30 and 180 min postgavage. Approximately 10% of the counts were immunoprecipitable by a polyclonal antibody to IGF-I, suggesting that up to 10% of orally administered IGF-I may be absorbed intact.
authors.affiliation: Division of Foods & Nutrition, University of Illinois-Urbana 61801.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Donovan
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Zijlstra
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Odle
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D007422:Intestines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000382:microbiology; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008871:Microvilli / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D011897:Random Allocation; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000502:physiology; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013552:Swine / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006133:Growth Substances; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I