Abstract:

To observe the effect of zinc threoninate (Thr-Zn) orally supplemented to pregnant rats on the growth
performance and metallothionein (MT) mRNA expression in their offspring, 90 pregnant SD rats were randomly divided
into 5 groups which were administered daily with Thr-Zn at different doses by gavage during days 6 to 15 of pregnancy.
After birthing, the newborn rats were routinely fed for a full month. After measuring the body weight, body length and
tail length, the liver, kidney, spleen, and sternum of the offspring rats from each group were harvested for extracting RNA
and determining the relative expression levels of MT1 gene. Compared with the blank control group, body weights of the
offspring of rats treated with Thr-Zn increased significantly (P < 0.05). Compared with the blank control and solvent control
groups, MT1 mRNA expression levels in the offspring of rats treated with Thr-Zn were significantly higher (P < 0.05). The
expression level of MT1 mRNA in offspring rats with maternal Thr-Zn treatment at a dose of 1 000 mg/kg was higher
than that in other groups. Therefore, maternal Thr-Zn supplementation can significantly improve the expression level
of MT1 mRNA and increase the body weights of offspring rats.

Key words: zinc threoninate, metallothionein mRNA, relative expression level