High lever dietary copper promote ghrelin gene expression in the fundic gland of growing pigs.
This experiment was conducted to examine the effect of dietary copper supplementation on ghrelin mRNA expression level in the fundic gland of growing pigs. A total of 45 crossbred pigs were randomly assigned to three groups of 15 pigs, five replicates of three animals comprised each group. Pigs were allocated to diets that contained 5 mg/kg copper (as the control group), 125 mg/kg copper sulfate, or 125 mg/kg copper methionine. At the end of the experiment, five pigs were selected at random from each group, slaughtered, and collected the fundic gland for determination of ghrelin mRNA expression level. The results showed that average daily gain, average daily feed intake, absolute weight, serum growth hormone (GH) concentration, and ghrelin mRNA level were higher in pigs fed the diets with 125 mg/kg copper methionine and 125 mg/kg copper sulfate (P < 0.05), than in pigs fed a diet with 5 mg/kg copper. These data suggest that high dietary copper (125 mg/kg) appears to increase feed intake and promote weight gain by enhancing the secretion of GH and ghrelin mRNA level in growing pigs.
College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, China.
Wenyan
W
Yang
Jianguo
J
Wang
Xiaoyan
X
Zhu
Yunhang
Y
Gao
Zhaoxi
Z
Liu
Liang
L
Zhang
Hui
H
Chen
Xiaoxia
X
Shi
Lianyu
L
Yang
Guowen
G
Liu
D000818:Animals; D019167:Appetite Stimulants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002681:China; D003300:Copper / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D019327:Copper Sulfate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005748:Gastric Fundus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008715:Methionine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000097:blood / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014886:Weaning; D015430:Weight Gain
D019167:Appetite Stimulants; D054439:Ghrelin; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C042079:copper methionate; D003300:Copper; D013006:Growth Hormone; D008715:Methionine; D019327:Copper Sulfate