Food Deprivation and Refeeding Influence Growth, Nutrient Retention and Functional Recovery of Rats

Abstract

The objective of this work was to determine the effects of starvation and refeeding on growth, nutritional recovery and intestinal repair in starved rats. Male Wistar rats, weighing 200 g, were starved for 3 d, then refed a soy-based diet for another 3 d. Normally fed rats were given the same diet and used as controls. The variables assessed were as follows: body weight gain and nitrogen retention during recovery after starvation; muscle glutamine concentration; tissue protein content; gut mucosa and liver glutathione levels; intestinal permeability to ovalbumin, lactulose and mannitol; and intestinal tissue apoptosis. Starvation was associated with lower muscle glutamine levels and intestinal mucosa impairment, including a lower content of mucosal protein, a higher level of oxidized glutathione, enhanced permeability to macromolecules and greater numbers of apoptotic cells. Refeeding for 3 d resulted in rapid repair of gut atrophy and normalization of not only intestinal permeability but also of the majority of metabolic markers assessed in other tissues. In conclusion, with the use of severely starved rats, we have established a reversible experimental animal model of malnutrition that might prove useful in comparing the effectiveness of different enteral diets.

Effect of Sugar Cane Extract, Commercial Probiotic and their Mixture on Growth Performance and Intestinal Histology in Broiler Chickens

“…In rat intestinal villi, cell proliferation was depressed (Tessitore, 2000) and the number of apoptotic cells was increased (Boza et al, 1999;Tessitore, 2000) by starvation. Such cell proliferation was increased (Tessitore, 2000) and apoptotic cells were decreased after refeeding (Boza et al, 1999). These results suggest that protuberant cells indicate hypertrophy.…”

“…These cell morphologies are altered by feeding (Hooper, 1956) and could be evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (Yamauchi et al, 2006). In rat intestinal villi, cell proliferation was depressed (Tessitore, 2000) and the number of apoptotic cells was increased (Boza et al, 1999;Tessitore, 2000) by starvation. Such cell proliferation was increased (Tessitore, 2000) and apoptotic cells were decreased after refeeding (Boza et al, 1999).…”

Effects of mass and body composition on fasting fuel utilisation in grey seal pups (Halichoerus grypusFabricius): an experimental study using supplementary feeding

“…We used a high value for HIF (15.74% of the gross energetic content of the food), which was reported in captive seals fed similar quantities of herring (1-2·kg) to the amounts used in the current study (Gallivan and Ronald, 1981). However, animals that have previously been fasting experience greater metabolic costs of feeding because they must rapidly reverse the gut atrophy that occurs during starvation (Boza et al, 1999;Dunel-Erb et al, 2001;Karasov and Diamond, 1983;Secor et al, 1994). Feeding-induced increases in metabolic rate after starvation or fasting tend to be relatively modest in endotherms because their basal metabolic rate is already high.…”

Towards amino acid recommendations for specific physiological and patho-physiological states in pigs

“…These morphological and functional disturbances are also observed during starvation or malnutrition (e.g. after weaning) and are frequently associated with an increased risk of gut disorders (65)(66)(67) . The impact of dietary threonine on weaning diet as a strategy to minimise gut disorders deserves further attention (68) .…”