Developmental gene expression of lactoferrin and effect of dietary iron on gene regulation of lactoferrin in mouse mammary gland.
This study evaluated the developmental gene expression of lactoferrin (LF) and the effect of supplementary iron on gene expression of LF in the mammary gland of mice using semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. In experiment 1, a total of 12 female mice were used to determine the effect of different lactating stages on mRNA expression of LF. The Institute of Cancer Research mice were divided into 4 groups; each group of 3 mice was tested on d 1, 9, 17, and 25 of lactation. In experiment 2, 6 groups of mice (total of 24 female mice at d 12 after mating) were fed purified diets (without iron or supplement iron) and were assigned to 2 treatments (control and treatment). The experimental feeding period lasted 35 d. During the feeding experiment, 6 mice (3 animals in each group) were chosen on d 1, 9, 17, and 25 of lactation to determine the effect of iron on LF mRNA expression of mice at different stages of lactation. The results of experiment 1 showed that LF mRNA had strong expression on d 1 of lactation, decreased gradually on d 9 and 17 of lactation, and then increased again markedly on d 25 of lactation. These results imply that the expression of LF in the mammary gland at different lactating stages is consistent with the changes in LF concentrations in milk. Iron significantly increased LF mRNA expression on d 1 and 25 of lactation. Iron did not statistically increase LF gene expression on d 9 and 17 of lactation. These findings raised the possibility that iron supplementation may play a role in regulation of LF levels in vivo.
Wang
Y
Y
The Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Institute of Feed Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China. yzwang@zju.edu.cn
Tu
Y
Y
Han
F
F
Xu
Z
Z
Wang
J
J
D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects*; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007774:Lactation; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000235:genetics*; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D019266:Iron, Dietary; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007781:Lactoferrin