Study summary · research use only
Characteristics of growth hormone secretion responsiveness to growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2 or KP102) in calves
Plain-language summary
Paraphrased from the published abstract below — not a verdict on whether anything works.
This study in male Holstein calves examined acute and chronic administration of GH-releasing peptide-2 (D-Ala-D-beta Nal-Ala-Trp-D-Phe-Lys-NH2, GHRP-2 or KP102). In an acute dose-response study, six calves received saline or 6.25, 12.5 and 25.0 micrograms/kg of KP102; GH AUC over 60 min increased with each dose (676.3 +/- 125.6, 1574.8 +/- 318.0, 1578.7 +/- 214.6) versus saline (78.6 +/- 36.1). Multiple injections every 2 h reduced responses. In chronic administration via osmotic pumps over 14 days, average daily gain increased 36.4% over control and food efficiency was numerically higher (29.4%); plasma GH was not increased but IGF-I appeared higher in KP102-treated calves. The authors suggest KP102 could be used to enhance growth performance in domestic animals.
Abstract
This study was conducted to determine the effects of acute and chronic administration of GH-releasing peptide-2 (D-Ala-D-beta Nal-Ala-Trp-D-Phe-Lys-NH2, GHRP-2 or KP102) on GH responsiveness in male Holstein calves. In the dose response study of acute administration, six calves were injected iv with saline or 6.25, 12.5 and 25.0 micrograms/kg body weight (BW) of KP102. The GH AUC (area under curve, ng/ml.min, mean +/- SEM) for 60 min was significantly increased with 6.25 (676.3 +/- 125.6), 12.5 (1574.8 +/- 318.0) and 25.0 (1578.7 +/- 214.6) micrograms/kgBW of KP102 than with saline (78.6 +/- 36.1) (P < 0.01). GH responses were decreased by multiple injections of 12.5 micrograms/kgBW KP102 at every 2 h for 8 h. The GH AUC for 60 min was decreased from the first injection (1162.9 +/- 313.3) to the second injection (604.7 +/- 131.9), but the response was significantly higher for the first and second injections than the third (304.4 +/- 173.1) and fourth injections (320.7 +/- 144.2) (P < 0.05). In the chronic administration, 8 calves were implanted subcutaneously with osmotic pumps (Alzet pump). Each of the 4 calves was given with 12.5 micrograms/kgBW per hour KP102 and the other 4 calves served as the control. During the 14 day period, average daily gain was significantly increased (36.4%) over the control (P < 0.05). Food efficiency was not significant, but numerically higher (29.4%) than the control. The plasma GH concentration was not increased by chronic administration of KP102, but IGF-I appeared to increase in KP102-treated calves more than the control. These results suggest that the synthetic KP102 can be used for enhancing the growth performance in domestic animals.
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