title: Insulinlike growth factor 1 (IGF-1) reduces gut atrophy and bacterial translocation after severe burn injury.
abstract: Bacterial translocation after severe burns is associated with gut mucosal atrophy and increased mucosal permeability. Insulinlike growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels are low after trauma and do not respond to growth hormone treatment. Since IGF-1 receptors have been demonstrated in gut mucosa, we proposed that treatment with IGF-1 would reduce mucosal atrophy and bacterial translocation. Rats received 50% total body surface area full-thickness burn or sham burn. They were treated with a continuous, subcutaneous infusion of either IGF-1 (approximately 3 mg/kg per day) or placebo (0.01 mol of acetate) for up to 5 days after receiving the burn. The mesenteric lymph node and liver were cultured for gram-negative bacteria. The small intestinal mucosa was scraped, weighed, and analyzed for DNA and protein content. Treatment with IGF-1 improved body weight, spleen weight, and gut mucosal weight. It stimulated mucosal DNA and protein content and reduced the incidence of bacterial translocation to the mesenteric lymph node from 89% to 30%. Insulinlike growth factor may reduce gut barrier failure by decreasing mucosal atrophy and subsequent barrier failure. In addition to its general anabolic effects, recombinant human IGF-1 may improve gut mucosal function and reduce infectious morbidity in severely traumatized or septic patients by reducing gut atrophy and reducing bacterial translocation.
authors.affiliation: Shriners Burns Institute, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston.
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Herndon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001284:Atrophy; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D001830:Body Surface Area; D001834:Body Water / Q000737:chemistry; D001835:Body Weight; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D004247:DNA