Ghrelin is a multifunctional peptide produced predominantly in the stomach, however substantial amounts have also been found in colostrum and milk. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of exogenous ghrelin, administered intra-gastrically, on the processes of mitosis, apoptosis, autophagy, crypt fission and changes in histometry of the small intestine mucosa in neonatal pigs, fed with a milk formula. Three groups (n=6) of piglets were used in the study. The pigs were fed either milk formula (C7) or milk formula together with ghrelin, administered via a stomach tube (7.5 μg/kg body weight (BW), (LG)) and 15 μg/kg BW (HG), every 8h for 6 days. Compared to the control group (C7), feeding milk formula supplemented with ghrelin resulted in significant changes in the small intestinal morphometry and mucosa histometry. The observed changes were dependent on the dosage of hormone and the part of intestine investigated. Administration of ghrelin via the stomach tube (HG) significantly influenced epithelial cell renewal. Moreover, we demonstrated that autophagy is involved in the small intestine mucosa remodeling and ghrelin may be an important factor for its regulation. In conclusion, we found that enteral ghrelin influences the gut mucosa remodeling in a dose-related manner in the early postnatal period. Moreover in neonates, stomach activity does not interfere with the action of ghrelin in the small intestine.
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