断奶前后仔猪胃组织中ghrelin基因表达及内源性生长抑素的作用

Expression of ghrelin mRNA in gastric tissue of weaning piglets and the role of endogenous somatostatin

AIM: To study the expression of ghrelin mRNA in gastric tissue of weaning piglets, to investigate the correlation between relative gastric growth and fundus expression of ghrelin mRNA in weanling piglets, and to study the role of endogenous somatostatins. METHODS: Eighteen litters of newborn piglets were divided randomly to control and treatment groups. From 12 days of age, piglets in treatment group were fed with starter diet supplemented with 120 mg cysteamine to deplete endogenous somatostatin (SS). Piglets were weaned on the 35th day of age (d35) in both groups. 6 piglets from each group were slaughtered on d28, d35, d36.5, d38, d42 and d45, respectively. A semi-quantitative RT-PCR was applied to detect the level of ghrelin mRNA in gastric fundus and antrum with 18S rRNA as an internal standard. RESULTS: Ghrelin mRNA was detected in both fundus and antrum, which was more abundant in fundus than in antrum. Ghrelin mRNA expression in fundus exhibited a trend of increase from d38 to d45, reaching a peak on d45. Cysteamine significantly increased the level of ghrelin mRNA expression on d35, d36.5 and d38. CONCLUSION: Ghrelin is involved in the regulation of gastric growth, and endogenous somatostatin downregulates ghrelin expression.