[Effects of gibberellins on early development and IGF-1 expression in female rats].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the effects of plant growth regulator gibberellin on early development and IGF-1 expression in female rats.


METHODS
Forty weaned female SD rats were randomly divided into four groups and fed with basic diet. Gibberellin was administered intragastrically at the levels of 0, 2.0, 100.0 and 200.0 mg/kg respectively for 15 days. Body weight and body length were measured weekly and the time of vaginal opening was observed every day. Liver, uterus and ovary were dissected after exposure for 15 days. Total RNA of liver was extracted and the expression of IGF-1 and IGFBP-1 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR.


RESULTS
Compared with the control group, no significant differences of body weight, body length, vaginal opening time, as well as the organ coefficients of liver, uterus and ovary were observed in gibberellin-treated groups. There was no significant change on the expressions of IGF-1 and IGFBP-1 in the liver of gibberellin-treated groups, although the expression of IGFBP-1 was more than IGF-1 in a few samples. Organ coefficient of liver in high dose group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Gibberellin does not cause abnormal change on growth and development as well as the expression of IGF-1 and IGFBP-1 in liver of female SD rats, but at the level of 200.0 mg/kg gibberellin may induce damages in liver.
Department of Health Toxicology, School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China. guanlan7@126.com
Lan
L
Guan
Zhe
Z
Zhang
Caigao
C
Zhong
Xinmin
X
Liu
An
A
Wang
Ming
M
Zeng
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D005875:Gibberellins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000187:drug effects; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051381:Rats; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
D005875:Gibberellins; D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I