The influence of parathyroid hormone-related protein on hepatic IGF-1 production

Four young milk-fed calves were fitted with catheters chronically implanted in the mesenteric, portal and hepatic veins and in the hepatic artery. Electromagnetic blood flow probes in the portal vein and hepatic artery allowed continuous measurement of hepatic IGF-1 production. In accordance with a latin square design these calves received iv mesenteric infusion (for 60 min) of calcium (Ca, 0.125 mmol.kg body wt-1), the synthetic human parathyroid hormone-related protein (1-34) fragment (PTHrP, 1 nmol.kg body wt-1), the synthetic analogue [tyr]34-bovine PTH-(7-34) NH2 (2 nmol.kg body wt-1) and PTHrP (1 nmol.kg body wt-1) or solvent alone (1.2 ml.kg body wt-1). Hypercalcaemia observed following Ca infusion had no significant effect on hepatic IGF-1 production. PTHrP induced a slight but significant increase in plasma Ca and IGF-1 concentrations measured in the hepatic vein, without changing blood flows measured in the hepatic artery and portal vein. Thus PTHrP increased hepatic IGF-1 production (15.1 +/- 2.7 nmol.6 h-1.kg body wt-1 vs 4 +/- 1.3 nmol.6 h-1.kg body wt-1 in controls; p less than 0.05). These effects induced by PTHrP were inhibited by the synthetic analogue [tyr]34-bPTH-(7-34) NH2.