High lever dietary copper promote ghrelin gene expression in the fundic gland of growing pigs

Biol Trace Elem Res. 2012 Dec;150(1-3):154-7. doi: 10.1007/s12011-012-9477-7. Epub 2012 Jul 22.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Appetite Stimulants / administration & dosage
  • China
  • Copper / administration & dosage
  • Copper / metabolism*
  • Copper Sulfate / administration & dosage
  • Crosses, Genetic
  • Diet / veterinary*
  • Energy Intake
  • Gastric Fundus / growth & development
  • Gastric Fundus / metabolism*
  • Gastric Mucosa / growth & development
  • Gastric Mucosa / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
  • Ghrelin / genetics
  • Ghrelin / metabolism*
  • Growth Hormone / blood
  • Growth Hormone / metabolism
  • Methionine / administration & dosage
  • Organometallic Compounds / administration & dosage
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Sus scrofa / blood
  • Sus scrofa / growth & development*
  • Sus scrofa / metabolism
  • Up-Regulation
  • Weaning
  • Weight Gain

Substances

  • Appetite Stimulants
  • Ghrelin
  • Organometallic Compounds
  • RNA, Messenger
  • copper methionate
  • Copper
  • Growth Hormone
  • Methionine
  • Copper Sulfate