title: Response of plasma CNP forms to acute anabolic and catabolic interventions in growing lambs.
abstract: Using a novel marker of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) synthesis [amino-terminal pro-CNP (NT-proCNP)], we have recently shown that plasma NT-proCNP is strongly correlated with skeletal growth and markers of bone formation and is reversibly reduced by glucocorticoids. The effects on CNP of other catabolic or anabolic factors, known to affect skeletal growth, are unknown. Accordingly, we have studied the response of plasma CNP forms to acute catabolic (caloric restriction) and anabolic [growth hormone (GH) stimulation] interventions in lambs and related the findings to circulating IGF-I levels, growth velocity, and markers of bone formation. Lambs fed a reduced caloric intake (25% of normal) for 6 days exhibited reduced live weight, plasma urea, and IGF-I (P < 0.001 for all) compared with control lambs. Basal levels of NT-proCNP (40.1 +/- 0.9 pmol/l) fell promptly to a nadir (28.1 +/- 0.8 pmol/l, P < 0.001) on day 6, returning rapidly to basal levels upon refeeding. Although plasma alkaline phosphatase (ALP) fell (P < 0.001), reductions in metacarpal growth velocity were not significant within the 12-day period of study. In contrast to caloric restriction, long-acting bovine recombinant GH (2.5 mg/kg on days 0 and 6), as expected, increased plasma IGF-I more than twofold above control for 12 days (P < 0.001). Growth velocity did not differ during the 30 days of observation, and, consistent with unchanged growth velocity, plasma NT-proCNP and ALP were also unaffected. In conclusion, CNP synthesis and markers of bone formation are acutely sensitive to catabolism but unaffected by doses of GH that fail to stimulate skeletal growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Christchurch, New Zealand. tim.prickett@chmeds.ac.nz
authors.forename: Timothy C R
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Prickett
authors.forename: Graham K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Barrell
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wellby
authors.forename: Timothy G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Yandle
authors.forename: A Mark
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: Eric A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Espiner
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005508:Food Deprivation / Q000502:physiology*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000502:physiology*; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D050279:Metacarpal Bones / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D020098:Natriuretic Peptide, C-Type / Q000097:blood*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012756:Sheep / Q000097:blood* / Q000254:growth & development; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D020098:Natriuretic Peptide, C-Type; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D014508:Urea; D013006:Growth Hormone; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D006854:Hydrocortisone