Nutrient effects on the hepatic production of somatomedin C (IGF,) in the milk-fed calf

The present study was aimed at determining the influence of nutrients supplied by a milk diet (glucose, amino acids, triglycerides) on hepatic somatomedin C (IGF,) production in vivo in four 30-d-old milk-fed calves fitted with chronically indwelling catheters in hepatic (HV), portal (PV) and mesenteric veins and in the hepatic artery (HA), and with electromagnetic flow-meters on HA and PV. Fasting for 16 h induced a decrease (P < 0.01) in hepatic IGF, production (nmol/kg body-weight (BW) for 6 h) (1.1 (SE 0.2) v. 6.6 (SE 0.7) in control animals). Infusion of glucose (1.8 g/kg BW for 4 h) or a mixture of amino acids (Azonutril; R. Bellon, Neuilly sur Seine; 62.5 mg nitrogen/kg BW for 3 h) in a mesenteric vein led to no significant effect on hepatic IGF, production for 6 h (1.2 (SE 0.3) and 0.7 (SE 0.3) nmollkg BW respectively) compared with fasted calves. Infusion of chylomicrons purified from milk-fed calves (10.5 mg/h per kg BW, i.e. 0.16 mg triglycerides/kg BW per min) enhanced significantly (P < 0-01) the hepatic production of IGF, (mean value for 6 h: 5.3 (SE 0.8) nmol/kg BW). Infusion of Intralipid (7 mg triglycerides/kg BW per min) induced a slight but significant hepatic IGF, production which amounted to 3.5 (SE 04) nmol/kg BW (P < 0.01 compared with chylomicron treatment) and it began only 5 h after starting the infusion. Neither triglyceride nor chylomicron infusion significantly modified hepatic blood flow. Thus, these results demonstrate for the first time the role of lipids in the regulation of hepatic IGF, production in vivo.