title: Effect of intravenously injected zinc on tissue zinc and metallothionein gene expression of broilers.
abstract: 1. The effect of intravenously injected zinc (Zn) on tissue Zn concentrations and pancreas metallothionein (MT) gene expression in broilers was investigated to detect differences in the tissue utilisation of Zn from different Zn sources. 2. A total of 432 male chickens were randomly allotted on d 22 post-hatch to one of nine treatments in a completely randomised design. Chickens were injected with either a 0.9% (w/v) NaCl solution (control) or a saline solution supplemented with Zn sulphate or one of three organic Zn chelates with weak (Zn-AA W), moderate (Zn-Pro M) or strong (Zn-Pro S) chelation strengths at two injected Zn dosages calculated according to two Zn absorbability levels (6 and 12%). 3. Bone and pancreas Zn concentrations, pancreas MT mRNA levels and MT concentrations increased on d 6 and 12 after Zn injections as the injected Zn dosages increased. Chickens injected with the Zn-Pro S had lower bone Zn concentration than those injected with the Zn-Pro M or Zn-AA W on d 6 after injections. However, no differences among Zn sources were observed in bone Zn concentration on d 12 after injections, pancreas Zn concentrations, pancreas MT mRNA levels and MT concentrations on both d 6 and d 12 after injections. 4. It was concluded that the injected Zn-Pro S was the least favourable for bone Zn utilisation of broilers. The pancreas Zn concentration and pancreas MT gene expressions might not be sensitive enough to detect differences in the tissue utilisation of injected Zn in broilers between organic and inorganic Zn sources or among organic Zn sources.
authors.affiliation: Mineral Nutrition Research Division, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences,No. 2Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: L Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: X G
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry; D002645:Chickens / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D007275:Injections, Intravenous / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D010179:Pancreas / Q000737:chemistry; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011897:Random Allocation; D015032:Zinc / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D008668:Metallothionein; D015032:Zinc