Effect of Recombinant Growth Hormone and Chromium Picolinate on Cytokine Production and Growth Performance in Swine

Abstract

The effect of dietary chromium picolinate (CrP) and recombinant porcine growth hormone, somatotropin (rPST) administration on growth performance and cytokine production in Landrace-Poland China gilts was determined using a 2 by 2 treatment array. Treatments were: (1) control (basal diet), (2) CrP-supplemented diet (basal diet + 300 µg Cr³⁺/kg diet as CrP), (3) rPST (lOOpg/kg body weight/day), and (4) rPST + CrP. CrP-supplemented diets were fed beginning at 20 kg body weight through 90 kg. Administration of rPST was begun at 60 kg weight and continued through 90 kg. All rPST treated pigs demonstrated improvements in growth performance versus controls. Pigs given CrP-supplemented diets showed no differences in growth performance. At 90 kg, pigs were challenged with endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, 0.2 µg/kg i.v.). Blood samples were collected at 0, 1, and 3 h postchallenge. Plasma IL-6 levels increased from 23 U/ml at time 0 to 1,927 U/ml at 3 h for control swine. Swine from the CrP treatment group had IL-6 levels of 8,130 U/ml at 3 h post-LPS. There were no differences in plasma IL-6 from pigs in the rPST and rPST + CrP treatment groups compared to the controls. Endotoxin challenge had no effect on either blood glucose levels or induction of TNF-α in any treatment group. PBMC from CrP-treated animals produced more IL-2 than peripheral blood mononuclear cells from all other groups.

Enhancement of the acute phase response to a lipopolysaccharide challenge in steers supplemented with chromium

“…Similar to the current study, the supplementation of chromium picolinate in Landrace × Poland China gilts resulted in greater concentrations of IL-6 than in control gilts. 29 Borgs and Mallard 7 suggested that modulation of the acute phase response by chromium supplementation was not a primary goal, as there was limited effects of chromium supplementation on serum haptoglobin, total hemolytic complement activity, 30 and neutrophil phagocytosis. 31 This can be argued based on the current study’s results.…”

Effects of chromium on the immune system

“…The effect of chromium on cytokines has been studied either by administration of chromium or implantation of prosthesis containing chromium alloy. Myers et al [17] studied the effect of dietary CrP and recombinant porcine growth hormone, somatotropin (rPST) administration on growth performance and cytokine production in Landrace‐Poland China gilts. They showed that CrP‐treated swine have very high IL‐6 levels while no differences are seen in plasma IL‐6 from pigs treated with the rPST and rPST+CrP.…”