AIMTo study the effects of Cu2+ on growth hormone (GH) secretion of pig pituitary cells in vivo.

METHODSGland pituitary cells of 32-35 days old pigs were incubated for 48 h in presence of 10% fetal calf serum in DMEM. Cells were treated for 36 h with various concentrations of Cu2+ (0 mg/L, 0.025 mg/L, 0.1 mg/L, 0.4 mg/L, 1.6 mg/L) in serum-free DMEM. Culture medium was collected in 12 h, 24 h, 36 h thereafter for GH measurement and the radioimmunoassay kits were provided by Linco.

RESULTSThe GH concentration was higher in treatments of 0.025 mg/L, 0.1 mg/L, 0.4 mg/L than that of 0 mg/L when the cells were treated with Cu2+ for 24 h, and it was significantly different (P < 0.05) between treatment 0.1 mg/L and treatment 0 mg/L.

CONCLUSIONIt was concluded that the presence of Cu2+ stimulated pig pituitary cells to secret GH in vivo.