Both growth hormone-releasing peptide 6 (GHRP-6) and growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) have potent GH-releasing activity in animals. We have previously demonstrated that the administration of a plasmid encod...Both growth hormone-releasing peptide 6 (GHRP-6) and growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) have potent GH-releasing activity in animals. We have previously demonstrated that the administration of a plasmid encoding the GHRH gene to pregnant mice and pig augmented long-term growth in first generation progeny,and that the administration of GHRP-6 results in growth augmentation in mice and rabbits. However,it has not yet been reported if GHRP-6 induces intergenerational growth effects in pigs. Ploy lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) microsphere adsorption of treatment proteins enhances gene expression,genetic immunization and the ability to protect plasmid DNA and peptides from degradation. The cur-rent study was conducted to determine the growth performance of piglets born to gilts treated with GHRP-6 incorporated into thermosensitive PLGA-PEG-PLGA triblock copolymers. Gilts were injected intra-muscularly once at day 85 of gestation with 30 mg of GHRP6-loaded thermosensitive PLGA-PEG-PLGA triblock copolymers. Piglets were weighed periodically between birth and 28 days. Mean body weights of piglets born to GHRP-6-treated gilts were 6. 58% to 18. 89% (P 〈 0. 05 ) greater than those of piglets born to control gilts. This study confirms that enhanced maternal GHRP-6 mediated by thermosensitive PLGA-PEG-PLGA can augment growth of piglets.展开更多
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (u0731004, 30771572 )the National Basic Research Program of China (2009CB941601)the Hebei Province Nature Science Foundation (0722553)
文摘Both growth hormone-releasing peptide 6 (GHRP-6) and growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) have potent GH-releasing activity in animals. We have previously demonstrated that the administration of a plasmid encoding the GHRH gene to pregnant mice and pig augmented long-term growth in first generation progeny,and that the administration of GHRP-6 results in growth augmentation in mice and rabbits. However,it has not yet been reported if GHRP-6 induces intergenerational growth effects in pigs. Ploy lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) microsphere adsorption of treatment proteins enhances gene expression,genetic immunization and the ability to protect plasmid DNA and peptides from degradation. The cur-rent study was conducted to determine the growth performance of piglets born to gilts treated with GHRP-6 incorporated into thermosensitive PLGA-PEG-PLGA triblock copolymers. Gilts were injected intra-muscularly once at day 85 of gestation with 30 mg of GHRP6-loaded thermosensitive PLGA-PEG-PLGA triblock copolymers. Piglets were weighed periodically between birth and 28 days. Mean body weights of piglets born to GHRP-6-treated gilts were 6. 58% to 18. 89% (P 〈 0. 05 ) greater than those of piglets born to control gilts. This study confirms that enhanced maternal GHRP-6 mediated by thermosensitive PLGA-PEG-PLGA can augment growth of piglets.