Muscle regeneration: the effect of hypophysectomy on cell proliferation and expression of insulin-like growth factor-I

Against the background of the importance of growth hormone (GH) for normal muscle growth, a study was performed to investigate whether lack of GH after hypophysectomy affects the cell proliferation and the local production of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in the early stages of muscle regeneration in adult rats. The level of IGF-I in the serum of hypophysectomised rats was reduced to about 30% of that of controls. The incorporation of [methyl-3H]thymidine into the regenerating muscle showed a peak 6 days after the operation and then gradually declined to the end of the period of study 30 days after initiation of regeneration by ischemic necrosis. The DNA content rose to a maximum level after 6-8 days, and remained high after 30 days. There was no major difference in the incorporation of [3H]thymidine in regenerating muscle of hypophysectomised and control rats, but the DNA concentration in the regenerating muscles of hypophysectomised rats was significantly reduced after 30 days. There was a corresponding reduction in the number of nuclei per muscle fibre, indicating that hypophysectomy has a small effect on the cell proliferation during the early stages of muscle regeneration. Immunohistochemical demonstration of IGF-I in the regenerating muscle revealed the transient presence of immunoreactive material in satellite cells and myotubes after 6 to 8 days of regeneration but no immunoreactivity after 30 days. No obvious difference was observed between hypophysectomised and control rats, indicating that the endogenous production of IGF-I in regenerating skeletal muscle can occur independently of GH.