title: Peripheral injection of growth hormone stimulates protein intake in aged male and female Lou rats.
abstract: It is well established that growth hormone (GH) induces growth rate and food efficiency and stimulates protein accretion in young mammals. Senescence is characterized by metabolic and hormonal disorders, particularly a decrease in protein turnover, which could be correlated to a decrease in GH and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) secretion. We have shown that body weight, protein intake, and IGF-I plasma levels are greatly decreased with aging in Lou/C rats, particularly in males. In order to specify the GH effect on protein intake during aging, males and females (6, 19, and 24 mo) placed on a self-selection regimen were injected daily with a physiological dose of human GH (0.023 mg/rat sc). No GH effect on caloric intake was observed. Nevertheless, GH treatment stimulated body weight in older rats. It also increased protein intake in females and older males (19-24 mo). This stimulating effect was positively correlated with the degree of weight loss in senescent rats, suggesting that the decrease in protein intake observed with aging could be a marker of senescence.
authors.affiliation: Psychophysiologie et Neuroendocrinologie, Complexe scientifique des cézeaux, Université Blaise Pascal, 63177 Aubière, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Veyrat-Durebex
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gaudreau
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Coxam
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gaumet
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alliot
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000187:drug effects*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I