Long R3 insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) infusion stimulates organ growth but reduces plasma IGF-I, IGF-II and IGF binding protein concentrations in the guinea pig

We have tested whether an animal with substantial amounts of both IGF-I and IGF-II in circulation, such as the guinea pig, would respond to chronic IGF infusion in the same manner as the adult rat, which has negligible amounts of IGF-II in blood. Female guinea pigs of 350 g body weight were continuously infused for 7 days with recombinant guinea pig IGF-I or -II (120 or 360 tag/day) or long R 3 IGF-I (LR IGF-I) (120 μg/day), an analogue which has much reduced affinities for IGF binding proteins. IGF-I or IGF-II infusion led to substantial increases in plasma IGF-I or IGF-II respectively in comparison with vehicle-infused animals. Nevertheless, body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion efficiency and carcass composition were not significantly affected by any treatment (significance was deemed to be P(0.05). Amongst the tissues examined only the fractional weight (g/kg body weight) of the adrenals was increased, and that only by the higher dose (360 μg/day) of IGF-I. However, the fractional weight of adrenals, gut, kidneys and spleen were significantly increased by LR 3 IGF-I, but again overall growth was not stimulated. A possible explanation for the lack of IGF-I effects is that total circulating IGF concentrations were not increased by these treatments. IGF-II significantly raised total IGF concentrations at the higher dose only. Plasma IGF-I was reduced by IGF-II infusion, as was plasma IGF-II by IGF-I infusion. LR 3 IGF-I treatment lowered both plasma IGF-I and IGF-II concentrations, a response probably related to a reduction in total plasma IGF binding protein (IGFBP), especially IGFBP-3, concentrations. We conclude that although the guinea pig is responsive to IGF treatment, the effects differ markedly from those elicited in rats.