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Published on: June 27, 2014
Ghrelin stimulates milk intake by affecting adult type feeding behaviour in postnatal rats
1Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Matsuoka, Fukui, Japan.
Insights
Ghrelin, a feeding hormone, stimulates milk intake in infant rats by influencing feeding behaviors. This effect is more pronounced in older pups, indicating a role in early postnatal development.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Developmental Biology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- The role of ghrelin in regulating feeding behavior during infancy remains largely unexplored.
- Ghrelin is a key hormone involved in appetite regulation and energy homeostasis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of ghrelin on milk intake and feeding behavior in developing rat pups.
- To determine the developmental stage at which ghrelin affects feeding patterns in early postnatal life.
Main Methods:
- Rat pups were administered ghrelin or anti-ghrelin antibodies via intraperitoneal injection from postnatal day 5 to 30.
- Milk intake was assessed by measuring body weight gain after suckling periods and in response to milk restriction.
- Independent feeding behavior was evaluated using a milk-soaked paper towel paradigm.
Main Results:
- Ghrelin administration significantly increased weight gain in rat pups at postnatal days 20, 25, and 30.
- Anti-ghrelin antibody injections reduced weight gain in pups at postnatal days 25 and 30, particularly after milk restriction.
- Ghrelin enhanced independent feeding in younger pups (postnatal days 10 and 15).
Conclusions:
- Ghrelin plays a significant role in stimulating milk intake during early postnatal development in rats.
- The effects of ghrelin on feeding behavior mature with age, influencing adult-type feeding patterns in later infancy.
- Ghrelin's influence on feeding behavior emerges during a critical window of early postnatal development.
Abstract:
The influence of ghrelin on feeding behaviour during infancy is unknown. To determine whether ghrelin influences milk intake in rat pups, newborn rats received a single i.p. injection of either rat ghrelin (100 microg/kg) or rabbit anti-ghrelin immunoglobulin G (100 microg/kg) every 5 days from postpartum day 5 to day 30 (P5-P30). Milk intake was then assessed by body weight gain following a 2-h suckling period. Ghrelin significantly increased weight gain relative to vehicle-injected controls in P20, P25 and P30 pups, but not in younger animals. Similarly, after 8 h of milk restriction, anti-ghrelin injections significantly decreased weight gain in P25 and P30, but not in younger pups. Interestingly, however, ghrelin did increase independent feeding in P10 and P15 pups using a paradigm in which pups consumed milk from a milk-soaked paper towel. We therefore conclude that ghrelin stimulates milk intake at an early postnatal stage, primarily by affecting adult-type feeding behaviour.
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