ACTA VETERINARIA ET ZOOTECHNICA SINICA ›› 2013, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (11): 1781-1789.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2013.11.012

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Effects of L-Arg Supplementation on Pancreatic Islet Structure and Function in Intrauterine Growth Retardation Piglets

KONG Ling-rui, WANG Yuan-xiao, LI Wei, DONG Li, ZHANG Jing-fei, WANG Tian*   

  1. (College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China)
  • Received:2013-05-08 Online:2013-11-23 Published:2013-11-23

Abstract:

This study was conducted to study the regulation effects of L-Arg on the growth and development of pancreas in intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) piglets. Twelve IUGR piglets and six normal birth weight (NBW) piglets (Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire) were selected. All piglets were weaned at 7 days of age. Then the IUGR piglets were divided into two groups: IUGR group and IUGR+Arg group, which were supplied with based artificial milk and based artificial milk supplementation with 0.6% Arg, respectively. NBW group was supplied with based artificial milk. Four piglets in each group were slaughtered and sampled at 14 days of age, and the indexes about development of pancreas were measured. The results showed as follows: Pancreatic insulin content, islet area and β-cell mass of IUGR piglets were lower than those of NBW piglets (P<0.05). IUGR significantly reduced the number of islet cells, insulin-positive cell fraction, insulin-positive area and the number of insulin-positive cells (P<0.01). Compared with IUGR control piglets, supplementation with Arg increased body weight and absolute pancreas weight of IUGR piglets (P<0.05), and enhanced pancreatic insulin content, islet area and number of islet cells, as well as β-cell mass, insulin-positive cell fraction and insulin-positive area(P<0.01), which were no significant differences with NBW piglets(P>0.05).The average optical density of IUGR piglets increased by Arg supplementation (P<0.01) and were much higher than that of NBW piglets (P<0.01). These results indicated that IUGR impaired the development of pancreas. L-Arg improved the pancreatic islet structure of IUGR piglets, and increased β-cell mass and insulin synthesis.

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