Biomedical subjects

T H Elsasser

Publications and source records attributed to T H Elsasser.

104 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

PubMed1990

Evidence that bovine growth hormone treatment increases the rate of extrathyroidal 5'-monodeiodinase activity in cattle.

This study examined the influence of bovine growth hormone (bGH) on liver and kidney thyroxine-5'-monodeiodinase activity (TMA) in growing beef cattle. In a preliminary trial (trial 1), tissue samples were obtained at slaughter from two placebo-injected and two bGH-injected (29.2 IU/day for 14 days before slaughter) Hereford heifers (398 kg avg slaughter wt), with one heifer on each treatment fed at either 1.0 or 2.0 times maintenance energy requirement. In a second trial, tissue and plasma samples were obtained from six placebo-injected and six bGH-injected (29.2 IU/day for 19 days) Hereford steers (331 kg avg slaughter wt) fed at 1.8 times maintenance energy requirement. In a third trial, liver tissue and plasma samples were obtained from 14 Angus X Hereford steers (270 kg avg wt) fed either an 8% protein, 1.96 Mcal-metabolizable energy/kg diet (8 steers) or a 14% protein, 2.67 Mcal-metabolizable energy/kg diet (6 steers) in association with acute administration of bGH. Half the steers in each group were given two injections per steer of either placebo or 37.8 IU bGH at 24-hr intervals and slaughtered 24 hr after the second injection. Units of tissue TMA in all trials were measured at slaughter; one unit defined as 1 ng T3 generated/hr/mg protein during incubation with T4 (1.3 fM). In trial 1, TMA in liver and kidney was 2.86 and 1.21 times greater, respectively, for bGH than for placebo treatments. In trial 2, units of TMA in liver homogenates were higher (P less than .05) for bGH (4.14) than for placebo (2.83) treatments and higher (P less than .02) in liver microsomal preparations for bGH (32.7) than for placebo (27.3) treatments. Units of TMA in kidney homogenates were also higher (P less than .10) for bGH (1.48) than for placebo (.87) treatments and higher (P less than .02) in kidney microsomal preparations for bGH (23.0) than for placebo (16.4) treatments. Following acute injection of bGH (trial 3), units of TMA in liver homogenates were higher (P less than .01) for bGH (2.5) than for placebo (1.8) treatments. Plasma T4 (70.0 vs 73.5 ng/ml) and T3 (1.08 vs 1.18 ng/ml) concentrations appeared slightly higher in bGH-treated steers (trial 2) and increased by 20 and .5 ng/ml, respectively, (P less than .01) within 6 to 12 h after acute injection of bGH (trial 3). Concurrently, plasma TSH concentration increased following acute GH injection (trial 3).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Effect of bovine somatotropin on the growth rate, hormone profiles and carcass composition of Holstein bull calves.

A study was conducted to determine the effects of BST on the growth rate, hormone profiles and carcass composition of preweaned Holstein bull calves. Injection of BST resulted in increased average daily gains and feed intakes (P less than .05) compared to that of control animals. This increased rate of gain coupled with increased intakes resulted in identical feed conversion efficiencies between treatments. Fractional weights (organ weight/body weight) of selected organs and tissues were unaffected by BST treatment. Carcass fat percentage was reduced in BST-treated calves (28.1 +/- 1.18% and 32.8 +/- 1.84% for BST and controls groups respectively, P less than .05) while no differences were seen for carcass DM, CP, ash or gross energy content. Plasma BST levels were higher (P less than .0001) in BST treated calves while plasma IGF-1 levels were not different between treatments. Plasma IGF-1 concentrations correlated (P less than .0001, R = .71) with average daily gains. The results of this trial suggest that growth responses are inducible with BST in young calves (7 days to 3 months).

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Radioimmunoassay for bovine tumor necrosis factor: concentrations and circulating molecular forms in bovine plasma.

Antisera against recombinant bovine tumor necrosis factor (rbTNF) were produced in rabbits immunized with rbTNF in Freund's complete adjuvant (F314) and used in a double antibody radioimmunoassay to measure plasma TNF. Assay standards were rbTNF. Iodination of rbTNF and chromatography on G-50 Sephadex with 50 mM EDTA, 0.1% BSA, 0.05 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.5 resulted in labelled rbTNF which was greater than 97% TCA precipitable (specific activity of 37.5 microCi/micrograms). F314 (1:80,000 dilution) bound 21% of 125I-rbTNF in a non-equilibrium assay at 4 C. Separation of bound and free 125I-rbTNF was accomplished by precipitation with goat anti-rabbit IgG prepared with 6% polyethyleneglycol (mw = 8000). Minimum detectable TNF was 4 pg/assay tube. Matrix effects of plasma were minimal. Recovery of rbTNF from plasma was linearly (recovered TNF = .932 * added TNF = .12; r = .99). Displacement curves of increasing amounts of plasma from calves challenged with endotoxin to effect an increase in endogenous TNF were parallel to the rbTNF standard curve. F314 failed to crossreact with any other cytokines tested except human TNF (less than 1%). Neither recombinant nor native bovine TNF significantly interacted with antisera for TNF of human or murine origin. Plasma TNF was acutely elevated in calves infused with endotoxin. Changes in plasma TNF were determined in samples from calves with chronic parasitic infection. Endogenous plasma TNF existed as a monomer with a molecular weight of 17,000, and was not bound to any plasma carrier protein. These data indicate that a specific RIA for bTNF capable of detecting changes in in vivo TNF levels has been established.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Bioactivity of milk from bST-treated cows.

Hypophysectomized male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed milk from cows treated with recombinant bovine somatotropin (bST) to determine whether immunoreactive bST in milk has a growth-promoting effect following oral ingestion. The first three treatment groups were fed either 1) milk from control cows, 2) milk from control cows with 500 ng bST/mL added directly to the milk or 3) milk from bST-treated cows. Treatments 4, 5 and 6 were the same as 1, 2 and 3, respectively, except that the milk was heat-treated before being fed. Although injection of bST into hypophysectomized rats (0, 5, 20 or 80 micrograms bST/d) resulted in a dose-dependent response in average daily weight gain, width of the tibial epiphyseal growth plate and fractional weights of selected organs, ingestion of milk containing added bST (resulting in intakes of 1.3 +/- 0.03 mg bST/d) had no effect on these growth indices. Levels of immunoreactive bST in milk from bST-treated cows were not significantly different from those of untreated cows (4.2 +/- 1.9 ng/mL versus 3.3 +/- 1.7 ng/mL, respectively, p greater than 0.05). Heat treatment reduced the immunoreactive quantities of bST in milk by 85 to 90% (p less than 0.001). Feeding heat-treated milk to hypophysectomized rats resulted in reduced liver weights (p less than 0.001) compared to those of similar rats fed milk that was not treated by heat. The effects of milk from bST-treated cows were not different from those of milk from untreated cows following oral ingestion by hypophysectomized rats.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗

PubMed1989

Influence of diet on basal and growth hormone-stimulated plasma concentrations of IGF-I in beef cattle.

The effects of nutrition on plasma concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) were characterized in steers under basal conditions and following single i.m. injection of bovine growth hormone (bGH, .1 mg/kg BW). Nutritional effects on IGF-I were studied in three trials. In all trials steers were individually fed and penned Angus or Hereford x Angus (280 kg). In the first trial, two diets (LPLE1: 8% CP and 1.96 Mcal ME/kg, 4.5 kg.hd-1.d-1; MPHE1: 11% CP, 2.67 Mcal ME/kg, 6.5 kg.hd-1.d-1) were fed (n = 5/diet). Plasma IGF-I concentrations averaged 74 (LPLE1) and 152 (MPHE1) ng/ml (P less than .02). Following bGH injection, IGF-I increased to peak concentrations between 12 and 24 h (averaging 105 and 208 ng/ml at peak for LPLE and MPLE, respectively, P less than .01). In the second trial, steers were fed diets composed of 8, 11 or 14% CP and 1.96 or 2.67 Mcal ME/kg dry matter (6.35 kg.hd-1.d-1 in a factorial arrangement for 84 d, n = 4/diet). Within the low ME diet groups, plasma IGF-I was similar in steers fed 11 and 14% CP but greater at these two CP levels than in steers fed 8% CP (P less than .05). Within the high ME diet groups, plasma IGF-I increased linearly with CP (P less than .01). In the third trial, steers were fed diets to result in a negative N status. Insulin-like growth factor-I was lower (P less than .02) during feed restriction than when steers were full-fed. The IGF-I response to bGH was diminished or absent in underfed steers (P less than .01). These data are interpreted to suggest that diet composition and intake affect plasma concentrations of IGF-I in steers. In cattle, CP may be the primary nutritional determinant of basal IGF-I, but the IGF-I response to CP may be affected by the available ME. Undernutrition can attenuate the IGF-I response to GH and uncouple the regulation of IGF-I normally ascribed to GH.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

Net metabolism of hormones by portal-drained viscera and liver of lactating holstein cows.

Net flux of insulin, glucagon, somatotropin, somatomedin-C, and somatostatin across the portal-drained viscera and liver of four lactating Holstein cows was measured at 4 and 8 wk postpartum. Cows were fed ad libitum intake a 60:40 corn silage:concentrate diet and milked at 12-h intervals. Milk yield and DM intake were 32.2 and 15.6 kg/d respectively. Twenty-four consecutive measurements of insulin, glucagon, and somatotropin net flux were obtained at 30-min intervals; 12 hourly measurements were obtained for somatomedin-C and somatostatin. Net flux is venous-arterial concentration difference times blood flow. Net flux of somatomedin-C was not detectable across the portal-drained viscera or liver. Somatotropin was removed by total splanchnic tissues. There was net production of somatostatin across portal-drained viscera, but net flux of somatostatin across liver was not significant. On a net basis, removal of insulin and glucagon by liver accounted for 66% of portal-drained visceral production. Within cows and sampling days, increases in net portal-drained visceral production of insulin and glucagon often were mirrored by increases in net removal by liver. As in other species, the bovine liver is an important regulator of circulating concentrations of insulin and glucagon.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Influence of parasitism on plasma concentrations of growth hormone, somatomedin-C and somatomedin-binding proteins in calves.

A parasitic disease model (sarcocystosis) was used to study the effects of infection and associated plane of nutrition on GH and somatomedin-C (SM-C) patterns in plasma, and SM-C binding protein patterns in plasma from 4-month-old male Holstein calves. Calves, matched by age and rate of growth before the experiment, were divided into three treatment groups (n = 7). In the first (control), animals were uninfected and food was available ad libitum; in the second, animals were infected with Sarcocystis cruzi and food was available ad libitum. The third group consisted of uninfected animals pair-fed to the level of feed intake of the infected animals. Blood samples were obtained at various times after infection for analysis of the secretory patterns of GH (day 27 after infection, samples every 10 min for 6 h), SM-C (days 27, 35 and 58 after infection) or binding protein (day 42 after infection). Samples were analysed for GH and SM-C by radioimmunoassay. Relative molecular weights of binding proteins were assessed by elution patterns from gel permeation columns. Clinical signs of infection were manifest abruptly on day 26 after infection. Voluntary feed intakes of infected calves as a per cent of control calves were 18, 46 and 78 on days 27, 35 and 58 after infection respectively. Plasma GH concentrations were lower in infected and pair-fed than in control calves (P less than 0.05). Plasma SM-C concentrations were reduced in calves with diminished feed intakes and lower still in infected calves (P less than 0.05). Plasma SM-C was positively correlated with nitrogen retention across treatment groups (r = 0.81). Two classes of binding proteins differing in molecular weight were identified. The relative amounts of each binding protein in plasma were reduced during low feed intake with some differences in the endogenous saturation affected by infection. These data suggest that altered growth and metabolism in parasitized calves may arise in part from both nutritional and infection-mediated effects on the regulation of GH, SM-C and SM-C binding proteins.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Validation of a heterologous radioimmunoassay for insulin-like growth factor-I in bovine serum.

A quantitative, repeatable, heterologous radioimmunoassay (RIA) for insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) was developed for bovine serum. Untreated serum could not be assayed due to interference by IGF-I-binding protein. Serum acidified to pH 3.6 in glycine-HCl (0.1 mol/l) for 24 h at 37 degrees C and neutralized with NaOH produced inhibition curves non-parallel to the [Thr59]-IGF-I standard. Neutralization by 40-fold dilution of acidified serum samples with assay buffer produced inhibition curves nearly parallel to the IGF-I standard. Complete parallelism was achieved by utilizing preprecipitated normal rabbit serum-sheep anti-rabbit gamma-globulin to separate antibody-bound 125I-labelled IGF-I from free 125I-labelled IGF-I. Recovery of IGF-I (1.3-52.3 fmol) added to serum was quantitative. The sensitivity of the RIA (n = 6) was 8.25 +/- 0.17 (S.E.M.) fmol. Intra- and interassay coefficients of variation were 3.03 and 4.95% respectively. Serum IGF-I levels measured in beef calves at weaning were positively correlated with weaning weight, total weight gain from birth to weaning and average daily weight gain. In conclusion, a heterologous RIA for IGF-I in beef serum which is sensitive, accurate, precise and repeatable has been developed.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Nitrogen metabolism by lactating ewes and their lambs.

Twenty multiparous ewes and their newborn lambs were assigned to a 2 x 2 factorial experiment in which ewes were fed ad libitum either a moderate (MP, 15%) or a low (LP, 10%) CP diet and nursed either twin (T) or single (S) lambs. Nitrogen (N) balance trials were conducted on both the ewes and lambs during wk 2, 4 and 8 of lactation. Nitrogen balance, N digested and the portion of digested N retained were greater (P less than .01) with the MP diet. Nitrogen retention and serum urea-N values were lower for the ewes nursing T lambs. Plasma beta-hydroxybutyrate and serum glucose values were lower (P less than .01) for ewes fed the LP diet, and certain plasma amino acids and the ketogenic amino acids were lower with the LP diet. Insulin increased (P less than .01) with time throughout lactation. Triiodothyronine (T3) concentrations were higher (P less than .01) in ewes nursing T lambs. Thyroxine (T4) was greater (P less than .04) with the LP diet and greater (P less than .01) for ewes nursing T lambs. The T4:T3 ratio was lower (P less than .02) in the ewes consuming LP. The portion of the ewe's retained N used for milk synthesis was lower (P less than .01) with the MP diet. Ewes fed LP and nursing T lambs utilized all of their retained N plus a portion of their body protein reserves for milk production by the 2nd wk of lactation. Body weights of creep-fed lambs were not changed by protein content of the ewe's diet.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Dopaminergic-like activity in toxic fescue alters prolactin but not growth hormone or thyroid stimulating hormone in ewes.

Studies were conducted to determine the specificity and cause of altered pituitary hormone secretion when ewes ingest endophyte-infected (Acremonium coenophialum) GI-307 tall fescue (toxic fescue). Plasma concentrations of prolactin (PRL) but not growth hormone (GH) or thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in ewes grazing toxic fescue were significantly lower (P less than .01) than concentrations measured in ewes grazing orchardgrass (OG). Comparing hormone secretory responses of ewes grazing each grasstype, ewes on toxic fescue released less PRL following thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) challenge than ewes on OG. TSH responses to TRH were not affected by grasstype. At this dose of TRH, GH secretion was not significantly affected in either group of ewes. In a separate study, dopamine hydrochloride (DA) was infused into control ewes to define the effect of a pure dopamine agonist on basal and TRH-stimulated secretion of PRL, GH and TSH. DA depressed both basal and TRH-stimulated secretion of PRL without affecting the basal concentrations or responses of GH or TSH. Based on the assumption that the active agent in toxic fescue responsible for the observed hypoprolactinemia was a dopaminergic agonist, haloperidol (HAL), a DA receptor blocking drug, was administered to ewes grazing toxic fescue or OG. HAL evoked significant PRL secretion unaccompanied by any GH or TSH effect in both toxic fescue and OG ewes. Administration of HAL resulted in a gradual increase over 4 hr in PRL in toxic fescue ewes and prolonged the duration of the PRL response to TRH. No differences in circulating plasma concentrations of DA, epinephrine or norepinephrine were measured in ewes on troxic fescue or OG. Alterations in pituitary hormone secretion due to toxic factors in fescue were confined to PRL. Hormone secretory responses to TRH and HAL suggest that the effects on PRL are mediated through dopamine-like activity in toxic fescue.

Acremonium↗

PubMed1987

Methodological considerations for penicillin radioimmunoassay.

The objective of this study was to identify and define factors that compromise the utility of radioimmunoassay for quantitation of beta-lactam antibiotics in biological aqueous fluids. Serum containing antibodies to benzylpenicillin coupled as a hapten to keyhole limpet hemocyanin was used as the assay primary antibody. Two significant factors that limited the utility of the assay were the tendency for penicillin to hydrolyze in aqueous solutions, resulting in a mixture of immunorecognizable forms; and in the hydrolyzed state, to bind covalently with matrix proteins. Assay sensitivity, crossreactivity, and assay binding parameters varied with the state of hydrolysis of penicillin in tracer, standards, and unknowns and with the composition of the assay buffer. Hydrolysis of the beta-lactam ring of penicillin immediately before assay by addition of 0.1 N NaOH or penicillinase resulted in improvements in assay repeatability and uniformity by forming predominantly the penicilloate form of the compound, which was immunologically well recognized by the antibody. Nonspecific binding of penicillin (and derivatives) to proteins in biological fluids such as milk or assay buffers was shown to be a possible cause of error in the immunoassay of penicillins.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMed1984

Potential interactions of ionophore drugs with divalent cations and their function in the animal body.

The ionophoretic antibiotics, monensin and lasalocid, bind numerous mono- and divalent cations, primarily in dimeric complexes that facilitate the passage of metal ions through hydrophobic lipid membranes. Ionophores vary in their affinity for metal ions. Similarly, transport rates of the resulting complexes depend in part upon the affinity constant of the drug ion-binding interaction, and in part, upon local environmental and physical factors. The normal uptake, transport and use of divalent minerals in the animal body is accomplished via numerous endogenous "ionophore" transport routes. We studied the possibility that exogenous ionophores such as monensin and lasalocid might alter normal intestinal uptake of divalent metal ions. In the first experiment, chickens were fed either monensin or lasalocid; 45Ca, 59Fe or 64Cu was individually instilled into an exteriorized isolated loop of the duodenum and absorption allowed for 1 h. Radioactivity was measured in the duodenal mucosa. Compared with controls, 59Fe and 64Cu were lower in tissues from animals given monensin, but higher in animals given lasalocid. 45Ca was lowered in gut mucosa by both drugs. In the second experiment, liver Cu, Fe and Zn were measured in chickens and sheep fed diets containing monensin or lasalocid. Small differences in basal tissue levels of ions were observed in both sheep and chickens fed the ionophoretic drugs. Drenching sheep with 100 mg X animal-1 X d-1 Cu2+ as CuSO4 resulted in enhanced Cu accumulation in all animals, with the largest accumulation measured in those fed monensin. These preliminary data suggest that adding monensin and lasalocid to diets may change the bioavailability, gut uptake and tissue deposition of divalent minerals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animal Population Groups↗

PubMed1983

Luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone and prolactin secretion in ewes and wethers after zeranol or estradiol injection.

Plasma concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and prolactin (PRL) were determined over a 24-h period using radioimmunoassay in sheep injected with corn oil (control) or various doses of zeranol or estradiol-17 beta. Injection of .333, 1 or 10 mg of zeranol caused dose-related increases (P less than .01) in plasma PRL (peak levels at 12 to 18 h) and LH (peak levels at 12 to 20 h) in ovariectomized ewes. Similarly, PRL and LH increased following doses of 33 or 100 microgram of estradiol. Before the LH surge, plasma LH levels were significantly depressed (4 to 8 h). Plasma FSH levels were significantly decreased 4 to 8 h after zeranol and estradiol injection. Slight surges of FSH were observed at times similar to those of LH, but the peak level was never greater than control levels. Injection of 1 mg of zeranol or 100 microgram of estradiol into wethers resulted in a 24-h pattern of PRL secretion not significantly different of LH concentration and significantly prolonged inhibition of FSH secretion. These results indicate similarities in the effects of zeranol and estradiol on anterior pituitary hormone secretion within groups of animals of the same sex or reproductive state. Differences in secretion and plasma concentrations of LH, FSH and PRL due to underlying sexual dimorphism are maintained and expressed even when animals are challenged with structurally different compounds of varying estrogenic potencies.

Animals↗

PubMed1983

Acute and chronic changes in adenohypophyseal hormone secretion in sheep during zeranol administration.

The effect of zeranol on circulating plasma concentrations of 5 adenohypophyseal (anterior pituitary gland) hormones was investigated in growing, castrated male sheep in 3 studies: after IM injection of 1 mg of zeranol (acute study), during a 6-week period after subcutaneous implantation of 12 mg of zeranol (chronic study), and during a 4-hour continuous IV infusion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) plus thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH), 10 micrograms/hour. The sheep used in the chronic study (challenge study) were the same animals used in the 6-week implant study. Plasma concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin (PRL), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and growth hormone (GH) were measured by specific radioimmunoassay. Injection of zeranol resulted in a transient decrease in circulating LH and prolonged reduction in FSH concentrations during the 24-hour sampling period. Plasma concentrations of PRL, TSH, and GH in zeranol-injected and control animals were not different. Implantation of zeranol caused chronic reduction in plasma LH and FSH, an increase in PRL, and no change in plasma GH or TSH concentrations compared with values for control animals. In the challenge study, IV infusion of Gn-RH and TRH caused a significant increase in the concentration of each of the 5 hormones compared with preinfusion values, regardless of zeranol treatment. When the hormone-response profiles were compared between zeranol-treated and control sheep in this challenge study, only the LH response was different--being greater in zeranol-treated sheep. Generally, the administration of zeranol resulted in a more pronounced alteration in basal and stimulated secretion of reproductive hormones such as LH, FSH, and PRL than in GH or TSH, which are more commonly associated with growth and development.

Animals↗