Smaller Body Weight Research Articles

Biochemical and histological changes in female wistar rats following oral administration of aqueous extract of <i>Mangifera indica</i> L. leaves

This study was aimed at investigating the effect of aqueous extract of Mangifera indica leaves on some biochemical parameters and histology of liver, kidney and small intestine of rats. Twenty female rats (142.30 ± 7.56 g) were randomly assigned into four groups A, B, C and D. The rats were administered orally 1 mL of distilled water, 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight of the extract once daily for 10 days. The biochemical parameters were determined using standard methods. All the doses of the extract significantly increased the activities of liver aspartate aminotransferase (AST), serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and chloride ion (Cl - ) content whereas the liver ALT, serum urea, uric acid, potassium ion (K + ) and small intestine body weight ratio decreased significantly in a dose dependent manner. The serum concentrations of sodium ion (Na + ) and creatinine increased only at 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight of the extract while the levels of total protein, albumin, globulin, conjugated and total bilirubin significantly decreased in the serum. The liver and kidney body weight ratio significantly increased at 100 mg/kg body weight of the extract while the extract at all the doses did not significantly alter the activity of serum AST. Furthermore, the extract significantly decreased the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in the small intestine of the animals with corresponding increase in the serum. The extract at varying doses produced mild and moderate hepatocellular and submucosa layer degeneration in the liver and small intestine respectively while there was glomeruli shrinkage in the kidney. The extract caused structural and functional toxicity hence, should be consumed with caution. Keywords: Mangifera indica , Anacardiaceae, Structural toxicity, Functional toxicity, Histoarchitectural changes

Biochemical and histological changes in female wistar rats following oral administration of aqueous extract of <i>Mangifera indica</i> L. leaves

This study was aimed at investigating the effect of aqueous extract of Mangifera indica leaves on some biochemical parameters and histology of liver, kidney and small intestine of rats. Twenty female rats (142.30 ± 7.56 g) were randomly assigned into four groups A, B, C and D. The rats were administered orally 1 mL of distilled water, 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight of the extract once daily for 10 days. The biochemical parameters were determined using standard methods. All the doses of the extract significantly increased the activities of liver aspartate aminotransferase (AST), serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and chloride ion (Cl-) content whereas the liver ALT, serum urea, uric acid, potassium ion (K+) and small intestine body weight ratio decreased significantly in a dose dependent manner. The serum concentrations of sodium ion (Na+) and creatinine increased only at 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight of the extract while the levels of total protein, albumin, globulin, conjugated and total bilirubin significantly decreased in the serum. The liver and kidney body weight ratio significantly increased at 100 mg/kg body weight of the extract while the extract at all the doses did not significantly alter the activity of serum AST. Furthermore, the extract significantly decreased the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in the small intestine of the animals with corresponding increase in the serum. The extract at varying doses produced mild and moderate hepatocellular and submucosa layer degeneration in the liver and small intestine respectively while there was glomeruli shrinkage in the kidney. The extract caused structural and functional toxicity hence, should be consumed with caution.Keywords: Mangifera indica, Anacardiaceae, Structural toxicity, Functional toxicity, Histoarchitectural changes

Transapical transcatheter aortic valve implantation in a patient with small body weight complicated by severe hypotension: An enigma successfully solved by echocardiography

Introduction. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation is currently considered an alternative treatment for older patients with severe aortic valve stenosis and increased surgical risk, but can be associated with multiple life-threatening complications. Case outline. An 83-year-old woman with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis, body weight of 29 kg and body surface area of 1.1 m2 underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation via transapical access. Severe hypotension occurred before the valve implantation, due to temporary distortion of the mitral valve apparatus by stiff wire, leading to acute mitral regurgitation. This complication was immediately recognized by continuous transesophageal echocardiography and managed by simple wire retrieval instead of applying mechanical circulatory support. After rewiring and predilatation of the stenotic aortic valve, a 23 mm balloon-expandable transcatheter stent-prosthetic valve was successfully implanted. Conclusion. This case demonstrates that continuous imaging during transcatheter aortic valve implantation is key to rapid diagnosis of life-threatening complications, associated with the procedure, especially during the early learning curve in transapical approach.

Dnmt1 regulates the myogenic lineage specification of muscle stem cells.

DNA methylation is an important epigenetic mark that regulates gene expression. Dnmt1 plays an important role in maintaining DNA methylation patterns on daughter DNA strands. Studies have shed light into the functional role of Dnmt1 regulation in the hematopoietic and epidermal systems. Here we show that Dnmt1 is required for myogenesis. Loss of Dnmt1 results in reduced expression of myogenic genes and defects in myogenic differentiation. We have utilized a conditional knockout mouse approach to examine the functional consequences of Dnmt1 depletion specifically in the developing muscle. These mice were born runted, with smaller body weights, and reduced ability to form myotubes in vitro. We show that expression of Id-1, a negative regulator of myogenesis, is enhanced in Dnmt1-deficient cultures, leading to enhanced transdifferentiation of myoblasts toward the osteogenic lineage. Thus, these studies demonstrate that Dnmt1 influences cellular identity and determines lineage fidelity.

Sex-dependent role of vesicular glutamate transporter 3 in stress-regulation and related anxiety phenotype during the early postnatal period

Stress and related disorders are in the focus of interest and glutamate is one of the most important neurotransmitters that can affect these processes. Glutamatergic neurons are characterized by vesicular glutamate transporters (VGluT1-3) among which vGluT3 is unique contributing to the non-canonical, neuromodulatory effect of glutamate. We aimed to study the role of vGluT3 in stress axis regulation and related anxiety during the early postnatal period using knockout (KO) mice with special focus on sex differences. Anxiety was explored on postnatal day (PND) 7-8 by maternal separation-induced ultrasonic vocalization (USV). Stress-hormone levels were detected 60 min after intraperitoneal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection 7 days later. Both genotypes gained weight, but on PND 14-15 KO mice pups had smaller body weight compared to wild type (WT). vGluT3 KO mice reacted to an immune stressor with enhanced adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and corticosterone secretion compared to WT. Although there was a tendency for enhanced anxiety measured by more emitted USV, this did not reach the level of significance. The only sex-related effect was the enhanced corticosterone reactivity in male pups. For the HPA axis regulation in neonates vGluT3 expression seems to be dispensable under basal conditions, but is required for optimal response to immune stressors, most probably through an interaction with other neurotransmitters. Disturbance of the fine balance between these systems may result in a borderline enhanced anxiety-like behavior in vGluT3 KO pups.

Body Size Changes Among National Collegiate Athletic Association New England Division III Football Players, 1956-2014: Comparison With Age-Matched Population Controls.

Collegiate football programs encourage athletes to pursue high body weights. To examine position-dependent trends over time in body size characteristics among football players in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) from 1956 to 2014 and to compare the observed absolute and relative changes with those in age-matched male population controls. Descriptive laboratory study. Medical school affiliated with a NESCAC institution. Football team rosters from the 10-member NESCAC schools, available as public documents, were analyzed along with body size data from general population males aged 20 to 29 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Body weight, height, and calculated body mass index were evaluated using analysis of variance, linear regression, and nonlinear regression to determine the distribution features of size variables and changes associated with time (year), school, and position. Among NESCAC linemen, absolute and relative changes over time in body weight and body mass index exceeded corresponding changes in the NHANES population controls. New England Small College Athletic Conference offensive linemen body weights increased by 37.5% from 1956 to 2014 (192 to 264 lb [86.4 to 118.8 kg]), compared with a 12% increase (164 to 184 lb [73.8 to 82.8 kg]) since 1961 in the NHANES population controls. Body mass index changed in parallel with body weight and exceeded 35 kg/m(2) in more than 30% of contemporary NESCAC offensive linemen. Among skill players in the NESCAC group, time-related changes in body size characteristics generally paralleled those in the NHANES controls. High body weight and body mass indices were evident in offensive linemen, even among those in Division III football programs with no athletic scholarships. These characteristics may be associated with adverse cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes. We need approaches to encourage risk modification in the postfootball lifestyles of these individuals.

Large volume leukapheresis is efficient and safe even in small children up to 15 kg body weight.

The collection of peripheral blood stem cells, although now a routine procedure, is still a challenge in low body weight children because of specific technical and clinical issues. For paediatric patients it is crucial to obtain an adequate number of CD34+ cells with the minimum number of procedures: this can be done using large volume leukapheresis (LVL). We analysed the efficacy and safety of 54 autologous LVL performed in 50 children (33 [66%] males and 17 [34%] females), median age 2 years (range, 1-5) and median body weight 12 kg (range, 6-15). The procedures were performed with a COBE Spectra previously primed with red blood cells; ACD-A solution and heparin were used as anticoagulants. The target CD34+ cell dose (≥5×10/kg body weight) were collected with one LVL in 46 (92%) patients, while four (8%) patients needed another procedure. All our LVL were well tolerated. Side effects were observed in five (9.2%) patients and one procedure had to be discontinued because of catheter-related haemorrhage. The platelet count decreased significantly (p<0.001) after each procedure but without bleeding or need for transfusion support. Our experience confirms that LVL is efficient and safe even in small children, if the procedure is adjusted considering the weight and age of child. The most important factors are good venous access, adequate preparation of the child's electrolyte status, and surroundings in which the small child as well as parents feel comfortable, and can tolerate the procedure better. Although a median platelet loss of 50% can be expected, LVL is safe and reduces the overall number of procedures required. It can be recommended for peripheral blood stem cell collection even in small body weight children with malignant diseases, particularly those who mobilise low numbers of CD34+ cells.

Maturity Characteristics of Pacific Saury During Fishing Season in the Northwest Pacific

Pacific saury is a commercially important fish in the Northwest Pacific. This study examined the maturity characteristics, gonadosomatic index (GSI), condition factor (CF), and ovarian developmental stage of the saury stock in three months of the fishing season (from May to December) in the Northwest Pacific. The maturity characteristics of saury varied among these three months (May, July, and October) in 2009. In May, large GSI and CF values with advanced ovarian developmental stages but small knob lengths (KnL) and body weights (BW) were found. Also in this month, the large-sized saury (＞29 cm) possessed large GSI values and the medium- and small-sized saury (≦29 cm) possessed large CF values. The GSI and CF values in July were similar to those in October while the KnLs and BWs of the former were larger than those of the latter. Most ovaries of the medium-sized saury (27-29 cm) developed to early cortical alveoli stage (CA1) and late cortical alveoli stage in July and October, respectively. Few individuals (5 samples) possessed GSI values larger than 1.0. Most saury were found at the CA1 stage, comprising 42.5- 57.8% of the monthly samples, and the most advanced ovarian developmental stage was the secondary yolk stage and found only in May, comprising 2.0% of samples in May. From the point of view of maturity characteristics and body size for saury during the fishing season, it is suggested that it is better not to harvest saury early in May and that the fishing effort in July should be controlled in order to give the small and immature saury a couple more months to grow and mature for sustainable fishing.

Removal of growth hormone receptor (GHR) in muscle of male mice replicates some of the health benefits seen in global GHR-/- mice.

Global disruption of the GH receptor in mice (GHR-/-) produces a large and reproducible extension in lifespan. Since lack of GH action in muscle resulting in improved glucose homeostasis is potentially a mechanism by which GHR-/- mice are long-lived, and since no information on muscle-specific GHR disruption in females is available, we generated and characterized a line of muscle-specific GHR disrupted (MuGHRKO) mice. As expected, male MuGHRKO mice had improved fasting blood glucose, insulin, c-peptide, and glucose tolerance. In contrast, female MuGHRKO mice exhibited normal glucose, insulin, and glucose tolerance. Body weight was mildly but significantly altered in opposite directions in males (decreased) and females (increased) compared to controls. Grip strength and treadmill endurance were unchanged with advanced age in both sexes, suggesting that the direct action of GH on muscle has minimal effect on age-related musculoskeletal frailty. Longevity was unchanged in both sexes at Ohio University and significantly increased for males at University of Michigan. These data suggest that removal of GHR in muscle of male MuGHRKO mice replicates some of the health benefits seen in global GHR-/- mice including improvements to glucose homeostasis and smaller body weight in males, which may explain the trends observed in lifespan.

Risk factors of sepsis in premature infants

Introduction: Neonatal sepsis is one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. Neonatal sepsis is defined as invasive bacterial infection that occurs in newborn children from the first to the ninetieth day of life. Hemoculture still represents the gold standard for the detection of sepsis. Blood culture may be falsely positive due to contamination of the samples. Contaminated blood cultures increase treatment costs and extend the length of stay of premature babies in hospitals. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence and risk factors of sepsis in premature infants who are being treated in the intensive care. Also to determine whether preventive medical-technical procedures will reduce the incidence of neonatal sepsis, as well as a reduction in contamination hemocultures. Materials and Methods: 239 premature infants have been analysed in whom the observed risk factors can lead to the onset neonatal sepsis. The preventive actions that could lead to a reduction of contamination in hemocultures have also been analysed. Results: The most common risk factors for sepsis is a small gestational age and body weight below 2000g. By using aseptic techniques for taking hemocultures there was a significant reduction in contamination of the same. Conclusion. Statistical analysis of the data identified the most common factors that lead to the occurrence of neonatal sepsis and proved the significance of the reduction of hemoculture contamination after the introduction of aseptic procedures and check lists.

Characteristics of Body Composition and Muscle Strength of North Korean Refugees during South Korean Stay.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to investigate the changes of body composition and muscle strength of North Korean refugees (NKRs) according to their duration of stay in South Korea.MethodsNKRs who volunteered and were living in South Korea, aged 20 to 75 years were recruited. Body compositions were analyzed by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Muscle strength was measured with the hand grip test. Demographic and migration information was obtained with a questionnaire.ResultsA total of 158 volunteers were recruited at a mean age of 48.3±11.4 years. The mean time from when they escaped from North Korea and arrived in South Korea was 5.8±4.3 years. Height, weight, and body surface area were significantly smaller in all NKRs compared to South Korean controls, except for women aged over 50 years. In females of younger ages (<50 years), NKRs with more than a 4-year stay in South Korea had a higher weight and fat mass than that of those who had a shorter stay (less than 4 years) in South Korea. All NKRs had a weaker grip strength than that of the age-matched controls from South Korea.ConclusionThe NKRs showed relatively smaller physiques and weaker muscle strength than that of the South Korean controls. In younger female NKRs, shorter South Korean stay group showed small body weight and fat mass than that of longer South Korean stay group. Specific health support programs might be needed.

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Objectives Preterm birth is one of the most serious obstetrical complication, which may be caused by spontaneous preterm labor, rupture of the membrane, pregnancy induced hypertension, or other maternal issues. We have reviewed extremely preterm deliveries in a single tertiary center and investigate the feature of those affected by gestational hypertension. Methods Ninety-one pregnancies those completed between 22 and 25 weeks from 2009 to 2013 were reviewed in medical records retrospectively. Results One intrauterine death, one fetal severe anomaly, and ten multiple pregnancies were found and excluded from the study. Among seventy-nine pregnancies, eight were complicated with hypertension (GHs) and other seventy-one were complicated by spontaneous labor or rupture of membrane (SLs). All of GHs were terminated by the reason of exacerbation of hypertension or non-reassuring fetal status by placental dysfunction and were delivered by cesarean section. Seven of those neonates were over eight points in Apgar score of 5 min (AP5) and all of them survived, discharged from NICU, and have grown-up by now. On the other hand, among the SLs, only fifty of seventy-one neonates were over eight in AP5 and three of them had died. Comparing birth weight, GHs were significantly smaller than SLs ( p Conclusions These may suggest that gestational hypertension affected to fetal growth even in the extremely preterm period. Although GHs were born in significantly small body weight, they could be expected good prognosis. Disclosures H. Hyodo: None. N. Nakazato: None. M. Ikeda: None. K. Higashiue: None. C. Hikosaka: None. M. Funakura: None. Y. Kambe: None. S. Sunagawa: None. S. Okada: None. Y. Fukada: None. T. Kasamatsu: None. K. Kugu: None.

Running exercise alleviates trabecular bone loss and osteopenia in hemizygous β-globin knockout thalassemic mice.

A marked decrease in β-globin production led to β-thalassemia, a hereditary anemic disease associated with bone marrow expansion, bone erosion, and osteoporosis. Herein, we aimed to investigate changes in bone mineral density (BMD) and trabecular microstructure in hemizygous β-globin knockout thalassemic (BKO) mice and to determine whether endurance running (60 min/day, 5 days/wk for 12 wk in running wheels) could effectively alleviate bone loss in BKO mice. Both male and female BKO mice (1-2 mo old) showed growth retardation as indicated by smaller body weight and femoral length than their wild-type littermates. A decrease in BMD was more severe in female than in male BKO mice. Bone histomorphometry revealed that BKO mice had decreases in trabecular bone volume, trabecular number, and trabecular thickness, presumably due to suppression of osteoblast-mediated bone formation and activation of osteoclast-mediated bone resorption, the latter of which was consistent with elevated serum levels of osteoclastogenic cytokines IL-1α and -1β. As determined by peripheral quantitative computed tomography, running increased cortical density and thickness in the femoral and tibial diaphyses of BKO mice compared with those of sedentary BKO mice. Several histomorphometric parameters suggested an enhancement of bone formation (e.g., increased mineral apposition rate) and suppression of bone resorption (e.g., decreased osteoclast surface), which led to increases in trabecular bone volume and trabecular thickness in running BKO mice. In conclusion, BKO mice exhibited pervasive osteopenia and impaired bone microstructure, whereas running exercise appeared to be an effective intervention in alleviating bone microstructural defect in β-thalassemia.

Risk Factors for Inadvertent Hypothermia During Adult Living-Donor Liver Transplantation

BackgroundHypothermia (core temperature <35°C) causes multiple physiologic disturbances, including coagulopathy and cardiac dysfunction. Patients undergoing liver transplantation are at risk of inadvertent hypothermia and might be more vulnerable to its adverse effects. We sought to identify the factors contributing to hypothermia during living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT), which have not yet been studied in depth. MethodsMedical records of 134 recipients who underwent adult-to-adult LDLT were reviewed. Core temperature at the following time points were taken: anesthetic induction, skin incision, start and end of the anhepatic phase, and hourly after hepatic reperfusion. ResultsOf 134 recipients, 29 (21.6%) developed hypothermia during surgery. Four independent risk factors for hypothermia were identified: small body weight–to–body surface area ratio, acute hepatic failure, high Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, and low graft-to-recipient weight ratio. The amount of core temperature drop was positively correlated with the number of involved risk factors. Each risk factor had a respective contribution according to the operative phases: body weight–to–body surface area ratio and the MELD score for the preanhepatic phase, acute deterioration of hepatic failure for the anhepatic phase, and graft-to-recipient weight ratio was for the postreperfusion phase. ConclusionsHypothermia was independently associated with the recipient's morphometric characteristics, emergency of end-stage liver disease, MELD score, and graft volume. These factors showed a cumulative effect, and the role of each factor was different according to the operative phase. These results should aid in the development of an optimal thermal strategy during LDLT.

S0220101 小柄患者用補助人工心臓の開発([S022-01]循環器系医療機器セッション(1),バイオエンジニアリング部門)

S0220101 小柄患者用補助人工心臓の開発([S022-01]循環器系医療機器セッション(1),バイオエンジニアリング部門)

Virtual 3D Heart Models to Aid Pacemaker Implantation in Children

Virtual 3D Heart Models to Aid Pacemaker Implantation in Children

WHO Antiretroviral Therapy Guidelines 2010 and Impact of Tenofovir on Chronic Kidney Disease in Vietnamese HIV-Infected Patients

ObjectiveThe 2010 WHO antiretroviral therapy (ART) guidelines have resulted in increased tenofovir use. Little is known about tenofovir-induced chronic kidney disease (CKD) in HIV-infected Vietnamese with mean body weight of 55 kg. We evaluated the prevalence and risk factors of CKD in this country.DesignCross-sectional study was performed.MethodsClinical data on HIV-infected Vietnamese cohort were collected twice a year. To evaluate the prevalence of CKD, serum creatinine was measured in 771 patients in October 2011 and April 2012. CKD was defined as creatinine clearance less than 60 ml/min at both time points. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with CKDResultsTenofovir use increased in Vietnam from 11.9% in April 2011 to 40.3% in April 2012. CKD was diagnosed in 7.3%, of which 7% was considered moderate and 0.3% was severe. Multivariate analysis of October-2011 data identified age per year-increase (OR: 1.229, 95%CI, 1.170-1.291), body weight per 1 kg-decrement (1.286, 1.193-1.386), and tenofovir use (2.715, 1.028-7.168) as risk factors for CKD.ConclusionsOlder age, low body weight and tenofovir use were independent risk factors for CKD in Vietnam. Further longitudinal study is required to evaluate the impact of TDF on renal function in Vietnam and other countries with small-body weight patients.

Genetic and phenotypic characterization of a Japanese wild-derived DOB/Oda rat strain

Wild-derived rat strains can provide novel genome resources that are not available in standard laboratory strains. Genetic backgrounds of wild-derived strains can facilitate effective genetic linkage analyses and often modulate the expression of mutant phenotypes. Here we describe the development and characterization of a new inbred rat strain, DOB/Oda, from wild rats (Rattus norvegicus) captured in Shitara, Aichi, Japan. Phenotype analysis of 109 parameters revealed that the DOB/Oda rats had small body weight, preference for darkness, and high locomotor activity compared with the rat strains in the National BioResource Project for the Rat (NBRP-Rat) database. Genome analysis with 357 SSLP markers identified DOB/Oda-specific alleles in 70 markers. The percentage of SSLP markers that showed polymorphism between the DOB/Oda strain and any of 132 laboratory strains from NBRP-Rat varied from 89 to 95%. The polymorphic rate (average of the values of the percentage) for the DOB/Oda strain was 91.6%, much higher than the rates for available wild-derived strains such as the Brown Norway rat. A phylogenic tree constructed with DOB/Oda and all the strains in NBRP-Rat showed that the DOB/Oda strain localized within the wild rat groups, apparently separate from the laboratory strains. Together, these findings indicated that the DOB/Oda rat has a unique genome that is not available in the laboratory strains. Therefore, the new DOB/Oda strain will provide an important genome resource that will be useful for designing genetic experiments and for the discovery of genes that modulate mutant phenotypes.

Influence of housing conditions, number of farrowing and number of pigs in litter on weight loss in sows during lactation

The objective of this work was to investigate the influence of housing conditions, number of farrowing and number of pigs in litter on weight loss in sows during lactation. The experiment included 60 sows, half breed developed by cross breeding of Big Yorkshire and Swedish Landrace in lactation. Body weight of the sows (kg) was determined 2nd, 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th day after farrowing. On the basis of the obtained values, there was calculated the difference in body weight between two consecutive investigation periods. The sows were divided into two groups and held in different housing conditions: 30 of them were held in extensive, and other 30 sows in intensive way of farming. In regard to number of farrowing, the sows were divided into three groups: sows with one or two farrowing (group P1, n=20), with three or four farrowing (group P2, n=20), and sows that farrowed five or more times (P3,n=20). In regard to number of pigs in litter, the sows were divided into two groups: the first (Group I, n=30) with sows that had up to eight pigs, and the second (Group II, n=30) with sows that had nine or more pigs in litter. The obtained results showed that in all perids of the investigation during lactation, body weight in sows held in extensive farming conditions was statistically significantly higher compared to those from intensive farming conditions. On the other hand, the loss of body weight during lactation was significantly higher in sows from extensive in regard to intensive farming conditions in the first two weeks of lactation. The sows with bigger number of farrowing had greater body weight, compared to those with smaller number of farrowing. There was no statistically significant difference in body weight loss during lactation, between sows with different number of farrowing, but considering that the sows with less farrowings had significantly lower body weight, they consequently lost more weight in percentage. The sows with greater number of pigs had significantly smaller body weight in the end of lactation, that is on 21st and 28th day of lactation. The results of this investigation point out to the fact that mainly housing conditions, that is nutrition influence body weight loss, and after that comes the number of pigs in litter.

Molecular cloning and expression profiling of excitatory amino acid carrier 1 in suckling Huanjiang mini-piglets with large or small body weight at birth

Dietary glutamate is extensively oxidized in enterocytes during its trans-cellular journey from the intestinal lumen to the blood. This corresponds to high energy requirement for the absorptive function and renewal of the epithelium. Excitatory amino acid carrier 1 (EAAC1) is known to be the major transporter of glutamate in the intestine. The present study was conducted in Huanjiang mini-piglets which represent a valuable agronomical model for pig production and also extrapolation to human intestinal physiology in order: (i) to determine the amino acid sequence of EAAC1; (ii) to measure the ontogenic expression profiles of jejunal EAAC1 during the suckling period and (iii) to evaluate the influence of low body weight at birth on the expression of EAAC1. For such a purpose, we cloned EAAC1 from Huanjiang mini-pig and used real-time RT-PCR method and Western blotting analysis. Our results show that EAAC1 in the mini-pig encoded a predicted 524-AA protein with eight putative trans-membrane domains. The expression in mRNA and protein of EAAC1 in jejunum was increasing from birth up to 14 days of age and then decreased at 21 days. Piglets with small BW had lower jejunal EAAC1 protein content between birth and after 7 days suckling. These findings indicate that the expression of the EAAC1 in jejunum is much depending on the stage of piglet development and that low BW at birth is associated with lower expression of this carrier in the early suckling period. Then, it can be hypothesized that lower expression of the intestinal glutamate carrier may decrease the availability of glutamate to enterocytes, thus challenging the optimal absorptive function of the small intestine and normal mucosal growth.