High leptin in pregnant mink (Mustela vison) may exert anorexigenic effects: a permissive factor for rapid increase in food intake during lactation

• Published in: British journal of nutrition 2004-03, Vol.91 (3), p.411-421
• Main Authors: Tauson, Anne-Helene, Forsberg, Mats, Chwalibog, André
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal lactation; Animals; Appetite - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Birth Weight; Body weight; Calorimetry; Diet; Eating - physiology; Energy; Energy balance; Energy metabolism; Energy Metabolism - physiology; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fetuses; Food; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Homeostasis; Hormones; Hormones - blood; Insulin; Insulin-like growth factor-1; Insulin-like growth factors; Lactation - physiology; Leptin - physiology; Metabolism; Milk production; Mink - physiology; Nitrogen - metabolism; Oxidation; Oxidation-Reduction; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome - veterinary; Substrate oxidation; Thyroid; Thyroid gland; Thyroid hormones; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Weight Gain
• ISSN: 0007-1145; 1475-2662
• DOI: 10.1079/BJN20041049

The role for leptin in food intake regulation in the mink, a polytocous seasonal breeder with altricial young, was investigated in pregnant and lactating dams and data were related to quantitative energy metabolism measurements and plasma concentrations of other important metabolic hormones. A total of nine mink dams were measured in consecutive 1-week balance periods, each including a 22h measurement of heat production by means of indirect calorimetry, and blood was sampled at weekly intervals throughout gestation and during lactation weeks 1–4. Intake of metabolisable energy (ME) was high and energy balance was positive until the first third of true gestation. During mid- and late gestation ME intake decreased (P