metallothionein and Poultry-Diseases

The biochemical and histological sequelae resulting from a diet containing 50.20 mg cadmium/kg were studied in Lohmann brown cockerels from hatching until 30 days of age. The additional cadmium chloride (CdCl(2)) to the diet induced the formation of lipid peroxides, which via a chain reaction led to accumulation of malondialdehyde in intestinal mucosa. At the end of the study (after 30 days of cadmium exposure) total protein and metallothionein levels in the intestinal mucosa and the relative ileal and duodenal weight increased. Histological data show that CdCl(2) causes an increase in number of goblet cells and granular lymphocytes in the intestinal mucosa. Down-regulation of the serotonin-positive cells in the cadmium-treated animals was observed. Growth retardation (by 27%) occurred in chicken fed the cadmium-enriched diet for 30 days. Cadmium accumulation in the intestine was markedly higher (154 times) in the cadmium-treated animals compared to the control group. Cadmium induced a decrease in zinc (but not copper) content in intestinal mucosa. We suggest that cadmium uptake triggers an inflammatory and secretory response in chicken small intestine.

Topics: Animals; Body Weight; Cadmium Chloride; Chickens; Intestinal Diseases; Intestinal Mucosa; Lipid Peroxides; Male; Malondialdehyde; Metallothionein; Poultry Diseases

The effects of starvation and refeeding of 2-wk-old turkey poults on serum and tissue levels of zinc, copper and iron were investigated. Serum concentrations of zinc and copper declined during 4 d of starvation. Refeeding for 24 h following a period of starvation restored serum copper to levels similar to those in the fed controls but failed to elevate zinc levels. Liver concentrations and total quantities of zinc, copper and iron increased throughout starvation. Refeeding the starved poults reduced hepatic metal concentrations but caused a further increase in total metal content. This was apparently related to the large increase in liver mass, and the effect was most pronounced in poults starved 1 d prior to refeeding. Starvation also caused an increased zinc concentration and content and a reduced copper content in the pancreas, duodenal mucosa and kidney. Iron content of the pancreas and kidney increased during starvation, but that of the duodenal mucosa declined. Starvation evoked a progressive increase in the cytosolic zinc concentration from liver, pancreas, duodenal mucosa and kidney. A major part of this increase was accounted for as zinc bound to metallothionein (MT). Refeeding rapidly reduced cytosolic and MT-bound zinc in each of these tissues. It was concluded that starvation and refeeding had major effects on tissue trace metal status. A function is proposed for MT during starvation as a mechanism for the conservation of body zinc stores. Zinc, released as a consequence of tissue catabolism, is repartitioned into a soluble storage site (MT), which can be rapidly mobilized to meet the demands of new tissue synthesis once anabolic metabolism resumes.

Topics: Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; Body Weight; Copper; Cytosol; Female; Food; Iron; Male; Metallothionein; Organ Size; Poultry Diseases; Starvation; Tissue Distribution; Turkeys; Zinc