Pituitary hormone and insulin responses to infusion of amino acids and N-methyl-D,L-aspartate in horses.
Abstract: Thirty-nine adult light horse mares, geldings, and stallions were used in two experiments to assess the pituitary hormone and insulin responses to infusions of arginine, aspartic acid, lysine, glutamic acid, and N-methyl-D,L-aspartate (NMA). In Exp. 1, 27 horses were assigned to one of three infusion treatments: 1) physiological saline (1 L); 2) 2.855 mmol of arginine/kg BW in 1 L of water; or 3) 2.855 mmol of aspartic acid/kg BW in 1 L of water. In Exp. 2, 12 horses were assigned, in a multiple-square 4 x 4 Latin square design, to one of four infusion treatments: 1) 2 mL of saline/kg BW; 2) 2.855 mmol of lysine/kg BW in water; 3) 2.855 mmol of glutamic acid/kg BW in water; or 4) 1 mg of NMA/kg BW in water. In Exp. 1, an acute (within 20 min) release of growth hormone (GH) was induced (P = 0.002) by aspartic acid. In contrast, acute release of prolactin (P = 0.001) and insulin (P = 0.002) was induced only by arginine; moreover, the arginine effect on insulin was present only in mares (P = 0.011). In Exp. 2, an acute release of GH was induced (P = 0.001) by glutamic acid and NMA. In males, the glutamic acid-induced GH release was greater than that of NMA; in mares, the NMA-induced GH release was greater than that of glutamic acid (P = 0.069). Both lysine and glutamic acid induced (P = 0.001) acute release of prolactin, whereas an acute release of insulin was elicited (P = 0.002) only by lysine. The NMA-induced LH response was due almost entirely to the response in mares and stallions (P = 0.016), and the NMA-induced FSH release was due almost entirely to the response in mares (reproductive status effect; P = 0.004). In the horse, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and NMA seem to stimulate GH release; arginine and lysine seem to stimulate prolactin and insulin release; and NMA seems to stimulate LH and FSH release. It seems that N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptors are involved in controlling GH, LH, and FSH secretion, whereas other mechanisms are involved with prolactin secretion. These results also indicate that gonadal steroids interact with amino acid-induced pituitary hormone release in adult horses.
Publication Date: 2001-03-27 PubMed ID: 11263835DOI: 10.2527/2001.793735xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research investigates how the infusion of specific amino acids influences pituitary hormone and insulin release in horses, providing insights into the role of amino acids on hormonal secretion and how they might potentially interact with gonadal steroids.
Research Design and Experimental Procedure
- The research was conducted in two experiments using thirty-nine adult light horse mares, stallions, and geldings.
- The first experiment, labeled ‘Exp. 1’, involved twenty-seven horses divided into three groups, receiving different infusion treatments: physiological saline; arginine in water; and aspartic acid in water.
- The second experiment, ‘Exp. 2’, involved twelve horses in a 4 x 4 Latin square design experiment in four treatment groups, administered saline; lysine in water; glutamic acid in water; or N-methyl-D,L-aspartate (NMA) in water.
Findings from Experiment 1
- An acute release of growth hormone (GH) was stimulated by aspartic acid.
- Conversely, arginine induced an acute release of prolactin and insulin. However, the effect of arginine on insulin was exclusive to mares.
Findings from Experiment 2
- Glutamic acid and NMA provoked an immediate release of GH.
- The glutamic acid-induced GH release was more significant in males, while the NMA-induced GH release was more substantial in mares.
- Both lysine and glutamic acid induced an immediate release of prolactin, but an acute release of insulin was only elicited by lysine.
- NMA stimulated the release of Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH), mainly due to responses in mares and stallions.
Conclusion
- The study reveals specific amino acids that seem to stimulate different pituitary hormones in horses: arginine and lysine appear to stimulate prolactin and insulin release; aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and NMA appear to stimulate GH release; and NMA seems to induce LH and FSH release.
- The research also suggests that N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptors may control GH, LH, and FSH secretion to some extent, while other mechanisms might govern prolactin secretion.
- The results further indicate that gonadal steroids might interact with amino acid-induced pituitary hormone release in adult horses, suggesting potential interactions between dietary intake and hormonal activity.
Cite This Article
APA
Sticker LS, Thompson DL, Gentry LR.
(2001).
Pituitary hormone and insulin responses to infusion of amino acids and N-methyl-D,L-aspartate in horses.
J Anim Sci, 79(3), 735-744.
https://doi.org/10.2527/2001.793735x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal Science, Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge 70803, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Amino Acids / pharmacology
- Animals
- Arginine / pharmacology
- Aspartic Acid / pharmacology
- Female
- Glutamic Acid / pharmacology
- Growth Hormone / blood
- Horses / metabolism
- Insulin / metabolism
- Lysine / pharmacology
- Male
- N-Methylaspartate / pharmacology
- Pituitary Hormones / metabolism
- Prolactin / blood
- Radioimmunoassay / veterinary
- Thyrotropin / blood
Citations
This article has been cited 8 times.- Pan K, Tu R, Cai Z, Huang Y, Zhang C. Association of blood lead with estradiol and sex hormone-binding globulin in 8-19-year-old children and adolescents.. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023;14:1096659.
- Tong H, Su B, Liu Z, Chen Y. Follicle-stimulating hormone and blood lead levels with bone mineral density and the risk of fractures in pre- and postmenopausal women.. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022;13:1054048.
- Lee TW, Kim DH, Ryu JY. The effects of exposure to lead, cadmium and mercury on follicle-stimulating hormone levels in men and postmenopausal women: data from the Second Korean National Environmental Health Survey (2012-2014).. Ann Occup Environ Med 2019;31:e21.
- Di Fiore MM, Boni R, Santillo A, Falvo S, Gallo A, Esposito S, Baccari GC. D-Aspartic Acid in Vertebrate Reproduction: Animal Models and Experimental Designs(‡).. Biomolecules 2019 Sep 3;9(9).
- Chen C, Wang N, Zhai H, Nie X, Sun H, Han B, Li Q, Chen Y, Cheng J, Xia F, Zhao L, Zheng Y, Shen Z, Lu Y. Associations of blood lead levels with reproductive hormone levels in men and postmenopausal women: Results from the SPECT-China Study.. Sci Rep 2016 Nov 29;6:37809.
- Breuhaus BA. Thyroid function and dysfunction in term and premature equine neonates.. J Vet Intern Med 2014 Jul-Aug;28(4):1301-9.
- Hilderbran AC, Breuhaus BA, Refsal KR. Nonthyroidal illness syndrome in adult horses.. J Vet Intern Med 2014 Mar-Apr;28(2):609-17.
- Borromeo V, Berrini A, Gaggioli D, Secchi C. Heterophile antibodies in horse plasma interfering in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.. Vet Res Commun 2007 Aug;31 Suppl 1:165-8.
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