Influence of Refeeding of Protein, Carbohydrate and Fat on Hepatic Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I mRNA Level in Fasted Chicks

The influence of refeeding either protein, carbohydrate or fat on hepatic insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) mRNA level in chicks which had been fasted for 2 days was examined. The hepatic IGF-I mRNA was measured by ribonuclease protection assay. Fasting reduced hepatic IGF-I mRNA levels to less than half of those in the fed control. When chicks were refed either a control, protein or carbohydrate diet, IGF-I mRNA levels significantly increased to those in the fed control until 2 hours of refeeding. Refeeding of fat did not alter hepatic IGF-I mRNA levels. The significant correlation between liver weight and hepatic IGF-I gene expression suggests that when chicks are refed after 2-d fasting, the acute increase in hepatic IGF-I gene expression brought about after refeeding may be partly regulated by the increase in liver protein metabolism.