title: Zinc-bearing zeolite clinoptilolite improves tissue zinc accumulation in laying hens by enhancing zinc transporter gene mRNA abundance.
abstract: A study was conducted to investigate effects of zinc-bearing zeolite clinoptilolite (ZnCP), as an alternative for zinc sulfate (ZnSO4), on laying performance, tissue Zn accumulation and Zn transporter genes expression in laying hens. Hy-Line Brown laying hens were allocated to three treatments, each of which had six replicates with 15 hens per replicate, receiving basal diet supplemented with ZnSO4 (control, 80 mg Zn/kg diet), 0.23% ZnCP (40.25 mg Zn/kg diet) and 0.46% ZnCP (80.50 mg Zn/kg diet) for 8 weeks, respectively. Compared with control, hens fed diet containing 0.23% ZnCP had similar Zn content in measured tissues (P > 0.05). A higher ZnCP inclusion (0.46%) enhanced Zn accumulation in liver (P < 0.05) and pancreas (P < 0.05). In addition, ZnCP inclusion increased blood iron (Fe) content (P < 0.05). ZnCP supplementation enhanced jejunal metallothionein-4 (MT-4) messenger RNA (mRNA) abundance (P < 0.05). ZnCP inclusion at a higher level (0.46%) increased mRNA expression of MT-4 in pancreas (P < 0.05) and zinc transporter-1 (ZnT-1) in jejunum (P < 0.05). The highest ZnT-2 mRNA abundance in jejunum was found in hens fed 0.23% ZnCP inclusion diet (P < 0.05). The results indicated that ZnCP reached a higher bioavailability as compared with ZnSO4 as evidenced by enhanced tissue Zn accumulation and Zn transporter genes expression.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Linfeng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Yueping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Su
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Yanmin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D007583:Jejunum / Q000378:metabolism; D052287:Oviparity; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D017641:Zeolites / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015032:Zinc / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019287:Zinc Sulfate
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C017800:zinc-binding protein; C083175:clinoptilolite; D017641:Zeolites; D019287:Zinc Sulfate; D015032:Zinc
keywords: laying hens; zinc accumulation; zinc sulphate; zinc transporter genes; zinc-bearing zeolite clinoptilolite