Some Effects of Purified Placental Protein (Human) on Lipid and Carbohydrate Metabolism

Purified placental protein (human) [PPP(H)], a protein fraction from human placentae, has been reported to react immunologically with antibodies against human growth hormone and to possess somatotropic and lactogenic activities. Parenteral injection of PPP(H) significantly altered a variety of lipid and carbohydrate parameters in a manner qualitatively similar to porcine growth hormone (PGH) in several species of experimental animals. A significant rise in plasma free fatty acid (FFA) concentration was observed in fasted rabbits 6 hr after intramuscular injection of either PGH or PPP(H) (1 or 2 and 25 or 50 mg/kg, respectively). When injected intravenously [10 mg/kg PPP(H)] plasma FFA elevation was similar to that produced by PGH (0.5 mg/kg) in time of onset and duration. In fasting Cercopithecus (African green) monkeys, intramuscular injection of PPP(H) (50 and 100 mg/kg) resulted in marked increases in plasma FFA within 3 hr, and lasting 24 and 12 hr, respectively. Plasma lactescence, associated with hy...